Forest Restoration in Landscapes

Forest Restoration in Landscapes
WWFs Forests for Life Programme

WWFs vision for the forests of the world, shared with its longstanding partner, the World Conservation Union (IUCN), is that
the world will have more extensive, more diverse and higherquality forest landscapes which will meet human needs and aspirations fairly, while conserving biological diversity and fullling the
ecosystem functions necessary for all life on Earth.
WWFs approach to forest conservation has evolved over time
into a global programme of integrated eld and policy activities
aimed at the protection, responsible management, and restoration
of forests, whilst at the same time working to address the key
threats which could potentially undermine these efforts. Those of
particular concern to WWF are illegal logging and forest crime,
conversion of forests to plantation crops of palm oil and soy, forest
res, and climate change.
The Forests for Life Programme consists of a global network of
more than 250 staff working on over 300 projects in nearly 90 countries. Regional forest ofcers coordinate efforts in each of the ve
regions, supported by a core team based at WWF International in
Switzerland. The programme also draws on the complementary
skills and support of partners to help achieve its goals.
WWF and Restoring Forests and Their

Functions in Landscapes
WWF has adopted a target for forest restoration: By 2020, restore
forest goods, services, and processes in 20 landscapes of outstanding importance within priority ecoregions to regain ecological
integrity and enhance human well-being, which is issued as a
challenge to the world.
As its contribution toward the target, WWF is actively developing a portfolio of forest landscape restoration programmes, and
also working with governments, international organisations, indigenous peoples, and other communities to pursue its work on forest
restoration within a landscape context, by doing the following:
Initiating and facilitating projects/programmes within landscapes
of high restoration priority in WWF Global 200 Ecoregions
Assisting others, and building local capacity to plan and implement forest restoration interventions
Developing suitable monitoring tools and techniques to measure
progress
Documenting, exchanging and disseminating lessons learnt and
experiences
For more information please see the Web site: http://www.panda.
org/forests/restoration/.
Stephanie Mansourian
Daniel Vallauri
Nigel Dudley
Forest Restoration in
Landscapes
Beyond Planting Trees
With 28 Illustrations
Consultant
WWF International
Avenue Mont Blanc
Gland 1196
Switzerland
Daniel Vallauri
WWF France
6 Rue des Fabres
13001 Marseille
France
Nigel Dudley
Consultant
Equilibrium
47 The Quays
Cumberland Road
BS1 6UQ
United Kingdom
1986 Panda symbol WWF

WWF is a WWF Registered Trademark
Cover Illustrations: Photo Cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus libani), tree seedling. Photo
Credit: WWF-Canon/Michael Gunther. Background photo: Mt. Rinjani, Lombok,
Indonesia, Agri Klintuni Boedhihartono.
Library of Congress Control Number: 2005927862
ISBN 0-387-25525-7
ISBN-13: 978-0387-255855
Printed on acid-free paper.
2005 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc.

Cite as Mansourian, S.,Vallauri, D., Dudley, N., eds. (in cooperation with WWF International) 2005. Forest Restoration in Landscapes: Beyond Planting Trees, Springer,
New York.
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Foreword
Is it a sign of the times that last year the Nobel committee chose
to award the Nobel Peace prize to Wangari Maathai for having
planted 30 million trees? We believe so. We think that while in the
20th century conservation made signicant progress on setting up
a global protected area network, the 21st century will be a time of
forest restoration. The fact that Wangari Maathai is the rst African
woman to receive such an honourable distinction is in itself a major
accomplishment. What is even more remarkable is that, for the rst
time, this highly esteemed prize, which has long been associated
with political feats, was given for an environmental achievement.
And not just any environmental achievement, but forest restoration. It is a comfort to see that it is not just us at WWF, the global
conservation organisation, who believe forest restoration to be of
global signicance, but that the Nobel committee is in agreement.
The committee members are not the only ones, I should add. In
2003 WWF, IUCN, (the World Conservation Union), and the
United Kingdom Forestry Commission launched a global partnership on forest landscape restoration to raise awareness about the
importance of the restoration of forests and to invite all decision
makers and inuential organisations to join in a movement to
restore forests. Today this partnership includes governments as
diverse as Switzerland, Finland, El Salvador, and Italy, and international organisations such as the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the Centre for International Forestry
Research (CIFOR), the International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO), and it continues to grow.
Too much damage has already been done for us to afford to
ignore our dwindling forest resources. If we wait until tomorrow to
restore forests, it will be too late. If too little is left, it will take
longer, will be more difcult, and will cost much more to begin
restoring a healthy forestand it may also be too late.
At WWF we are aware of this urgency, and with this book we
invite practitioners, researchers, and decision makers to join us in
doing something practical about our forests. As the Nobel committee has noted, too many wars are fought over dwindling
resources. If we do not do something about it, this may well be the
new security scourge jeopardising our future and that of our
children.
Chief Emeka Anyaoku
President, WWF International
Preface
For WWF, the global conservation organisation, achieving lasting

forest conservation requires working on a large scale and integrating global strategies and policies to protect, manage, and restore
forests.
In an ideal world, restoration would not be necessary; however,
today many forest habitats are already so damaged that their longterm survival, and the ecological services they provide, are in doubt
and we urgently need to consider restoration if we are to achieve
conservation and sustain the livelihoods of people dependent on
nature.
Forest conservation strategies that rely solely on protected areas
and sustainable management have proved insufcient either to
secure biodiversity or to stabilise the environment. The United
Nations Environment Programme now classies a large proportion
of the worlds land surface as degraded, and this degradation is
creating a wide range of ecological, social, and economic problems.
Forest loss and degradation is a particularly important element in
this worldwide problem with annual global estimates of forest loss
being as high as 16 million hectares, and those for degradation even
higher. Reversing this damage is one of the largest and most
complex challenges of the 21st century.
An analysis of the WWF Global 200 ecoregionsthose areas of
greatest importance for biodiversity on a global scaledemonstrates the problems. For example, over 20 percent of forest ecoregions have already lost at least 85 percent of their forests: sometimes
only 1 to 2 percent remains. Deforestation is a key threat to water
quality in 59 percent of freshwater ecoregions. Many of the charismatic species that are agships for conservation (African elephant,
Asian elephant, great apes, rhinoceros, giant panda, and tiger) are
threatened by forest loss, fragmentation, and degradation.
Forest loss is not only of concern to conservationists. According
to the World Bank about 1 billion people in the developing world
depend either directly or indirectly on goods and services from the
forests, and these provide an essential safety net to many of the
worlds poorest people.
vii
viii
Preface
WWFs mission is to stop degradation on our planet and to

achieve a world where humans and nature live in harmony
together. Decades of overexploitation have brought us to a world
characterised by imbalance: imbalance between rich and poor,
imbalance between supply of natural resources and demand for
natural resources, imbalance between biodiversity needs and
human needs. WWFs approach to forest restoration, in the context
of ecoregion conservation, seeks to redress these imbalances in
order to restore healthy landscapes that are able to benet both
biodiversity and people.
This book harnesses the expertise of over 70 authors drawing on
a wealth of practical experience and a wide range of expertise. It
is practical, hands on, and illustrated with numerous examples from
across the world. The aim is to synthesise in an easily accessible
format the knowledge and expertise that exists and also to highlight areas that need further work.We are hoping to encourage eld
staffours and those of other organisations interested in conservation and developmentwho are out there dealing with the
impacts of forest loss and degradation, to apply landscape-scale
forest restoration as an approach to help them meet their conservation goals and our conservation goals.
Dr. Chris Hails
Programme Director, WWF International
Note from the Editors
This book has been designed to help readers understand how forest
restoration can be integrated with other aspects of conservation
and development in landscapes. Parts A, B, and C introduce the elements for planning and implementing restoration on a broad scale,
including a range of social, political, and economic considerations
that will inuence and that will be inuenced by any large-scale
restoration effort. Part D focusses on more specic issues, including restoration in different forest habitats and for different reasons.
While we believe that successful restoration generally needs to
be planned on a large scale, it will probably be implemented in one
or more sites within a landscape, and the book similarly starts with
very broad-scale considerations and then focusses increasingly on
actions that can be taken at the site. Parts A, B, and C thus provide
what could be seen as the foundations, and part D provides some
much more specic tools and considerations that are applicable in
different situations. We recommend that you read the relevant
chapters in part D once you have read all of parts A, B, and C.
The nal part (part E) discusses some of the lessons learned to
date from practical experiences and recommendations for future
work related to forest restoration on a large scale.
Each chapter starts with an introduction to the issue, illustrating
it with a series of brief thumbnail examples, showing, where appropriate, both good and bad practice. Some useful tools are then listed
followed by a brief description of future work required and nally
and importantly a set of references. We cover a vast subject here
and each chapter is as a result kept deliberately short, we can only
introduce many of the techniques described but have provided
detailed sources for those who wish to follow up specic issues in
greater detail.
The book includes contributions from a large number of authors.
Although we have all been writing within the framework of forest
landscape restoration, there are inevitably different nuances in how
this should be interpreted and applied. What follows is a set of
experienced opinions rather than a rigid blueprint. We will in turn
very much appreciate hearing feedback, criticism, and experience
from users.
ix
Acknowledgements
The editors would like to thank Mark Aldrich, James Aronson,

Chris Elliott, Chris Hails, and Pedro Regato for their emphatic and
very welcome support throughout the conception and production
of this book. On behalf of WWF International we would also like
to thank the 70 authors who donated their expertise, for no
payment and under what must have often been a frustratingly tight
timetable, to help produce such a comprehensive review of this
rapidly emerging eld.
The following people have kindly reviewed different sections
and chapters and provided us with valuable feedback: Chris Elliott
(WWF International), Louise Holloway, Jack Hurd (the Nature
Conservancy), Val Kapos (U.N. Environment ProgrammeWorld
Conservation Monitoring Centre), John Parrotta (U.S. Forest
Service), Duncan Pollard (WWF International), Fulai Sheng (Conservation International), P.J. Stephenson (WWF International), and
Colin Tingle (NR Group).
A special thank you is due to Tom McShane for taking the time
to read and comment on the whole manuscript.
Nelda Geninazzi played an essential role in helping to organise
the various editorial meetings, and Katrin Schikorr deserves special
mention for helping the editors with references.
The authors would like to specically thank the following people
for contributing in some form or another to their respective
chapters: Jos Mara Rey Benayas, Andr Rocha Ferretti, Karen
Holl, Ramdan Lahouati, N. Lassettre, Stewart Maginnis, Hal
Mooney, Guy Preston, Mohamed Raggabi, Peter Schei, and Kristin
Svavarsdottir.
The authors would also like to thank the following agencies
and/or institutions for support in projects that have made it possible for them to write their respective chapters: European Life Environment programme Water and Forest, French Research
Ministry, French National Forest Ofce (ONF) and Water Agency
(Agence RMC), the European Commission (EC) (for the project
Biodiversity Conservation, Restoration and Sustainable Use in
Fragmented Forest Landscapes (BIOCORES), the Long-Term
xi
xii
Acknowledgements
Ecological Research programme in Puerto Rico, funded by the

National Science Foundation, the government of Japan (for the
CIFOR/ Japan Research project on lessons from past rehabilitation experiences), and the Generalitat Valenciana and Fundacin
Bancaja. The authors from CIFOR would like specically to thank
the various research and support staff, as well as workshop and case
study participants from the different countries for their invaluable
contributions to the project Review of Forest Rehabilitation Initiatives: Lessons from the Past, which formed the basis for their
chapter in this book.
Finally, WWF would like to thank Lafarge for supporting the
development of its forest landscape restoration programme.
The book represents a collection of individual essays and are the
opinions of the authors and should not be seen as representing
opinions from their respective employers or organisations. Needless to say, despite the enormous help we have received in putting
this book together, any remaining errors of fact or opinion remain
the responsibility of the editors.
Table of Contents
Foreword by Chief Emeka Anyaoku, President, WWF

International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Preface by Chris Hails, Programme Director, WWF

International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
vii
Note from the Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ix
Acknowledgements
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
xi
Acronyms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
xxi
Contributors List
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
xxiii
Part A Toward a Wider Perspective in Forest

Restoration
Section I Introducing Forest Landscape Restoration
Chapter 1
Forest Landscape Restoration in Context
Nigel Dudley, Stephanie Mansourian, and
Daniel Vallauri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter 2
Overview of Forest Restoration Strategies and Terms
Stephanie Mansourian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Section II The Challenging Context Of Forest

Restoration Today
Chapter 3
Impact of Forest Loss and Degradation on Biodiversity
Nigel Dudley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
17
Chapter 4
The Impacts of Degradation and Forest Loss on Human
Well-Being and Its Social and Political Relevance for
Restoration
Mary Hobley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
22
xiii
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Table of Contents
Chapter 5
Restoring Forest Landscapes in the Face of Climate
Change
Jennifer Biringer and Lara J. Hansen . . . . . . . . . . .
31
Section III Forest Restoration in Modern Broad-Scale

Conservation
Chapter 6
Restoration as a Strategy to Contribute to
Ecoregion Visions
John Morrison, Jeffrey Sayer, and Colby Loucks . . . . .
41
Chapter 7
Why Do We Need to Consider Restoration in a
Landscape Context?
Nigel Dudley, John Morrison, James Aronson, and
51
Chapter 8
Addressing Trade-Offs in Forest Landscape Restoration
Katrina Brown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
59
Part B Key Preparatory Steps Toward Restoring

Forests Within a Landscape Context
Section IV Overview of the Planning Process
Chapter 9
An Attempt to Develop a Framework for
Restoration Planning
Daniel Vallauri, James Aronson, and Nigel Dudley . . . .
65
Section V Identifying and Addressing Challenges/

Constraints
Chapter 10
Assessing and Addressing Threats in
Restoration Programmes
Doreen Robinson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
73
Chapter 11
Perverse Policy Incentives
Kirsten Schuyt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
78
Chapter 12
Land Ownership and Forest Restoration
Gonzalo Oviedo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
84
Table of Contents
Chapter 13
Challenges for Forest Landscape Restoration
Based on WWFs Experience to Date
Stephanie Mansourian and Nigel Dudley . . . . . . . . .
Section VI
xv
94
A Suite of Planning Tools
Chapter 14
Goals and Targets of Forest Landscape Restoration
Jeffrey Sayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
101
Chapter 15
Identifying and Using Reference Landscapes for
Restoration
Nigel Dudley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
109
Chapter 16
Mapping and Modelling as Tools to Set Targets, Identify
Opportunities, and Measure Progress
Thomas F. Allnutt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
115
Chapter 17
Policy Interventions for Forest Landscape Restoration
Nigel Dudley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
121
Chapter 18
Negotiations and Conict Management
Scott Jones and Nigel Dudley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
126
Chapter 19
Practical Interventions that Will Support Restoration in
Broad-Scale Conservation Based on WWF
Experiences
136
Section VII
Monitoring and Evaluation
Chapter 20
Monitoring Forest Restoration Projects in the Context of
an Adaptive Management Cycle
Sheila OConnor, Nick Salafsky, and Dan Salzer . . . . .
145
Chapter 21
Monitoring and Evaluating Forest Restoration Success
Daniel Vallauri, James Aronson, Nigel Dudley, and
Ramon Vallejo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
150
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Table of Contents
Section VIII Financing and Promoting Forest Landscape

Restoration
Chapter 22
Opportunities for Long-Term Financing of Forest
Restoration in Landscapes
Kirsten Schuyt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
161
Chapter 23
Payment for Environmental Services and Restoration
Kirsten Schuyt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
166
Chapter 24
Carbon Knowledge Projects and Forest Landscape
Restoration
Jessica Orrego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
171
Chapter 25
Marketing and Communications Opportunities: How to
Promote and Market Forest Landscape Restoration
Soh Koon Chng . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
176
Part C
Implementing Forest Restoration
Section IX
Restoring Ecological Functions
Chapter 26
Restoring Quality in Existing Native Forest Landscapes
Nigel Dudley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
185
Chapter 27
Restoring Soil and Ecosystem Processes
Lawrence R. Walker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
192
Chapter 28
Active Restoration of Boreal Forest Habitats for
Target Species
Harri Karjalainen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
197
Chapter 29
Restoration of Deadwood as a Critical Microhabitat in
Forest Landscapes
Nigel Dudley and Daniel Vallauri . . . . . . . . . . . . .
203
Chapter 30
Restoration of Protected Area Values
Nigel Dudley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
208
Table of Contents
Section X
xvii
Restoring Socioeconomic Values
Chapter 31
Using Nontimber Forest Products for Restoring
Environmental, Social, and Economic Functions
Pedro Regato and Nora Berrahmouni . . . . . . . . . . .
215
Chapter 32
An Historical Account of Fuelwood Restoration Efforts
Don Gilmour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
223
Chapter 33
Restoring Water Quality and Quantity
Nigel Dudley and Sue Stolton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
228
Chapter 34
Restoring Landscapes for Traditional Cultural Values
Gladwin Joseph and Stephanie Mansourian . . . . . . .
233
Section XI A Selection of Tools that Return Trees to

the Landscape
Chapter 35
Overview of Technical Approaches to Restoring Tree
Cover at the Site Level
Stephanie Mansourian, David Lamb, and
Don Gilmour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
241
Chapter 36
Stimulating Natural Regeneration
Silvia Holz and Guillermo Placci
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
250
Chapter 37
Managing and Directing Natural Succession
Steve Whisenant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
257
Chapter 38
Selecting Tree Species for Plantation
Florencia Montagnini . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
262
Chapter 39
Developing Firebreaks
Eduard Plana, Ruf Cerdan, and Marc Castellnou . . . .
269
Chapter 40
Agroforestry as a Tool for Forest Landscape Restoration
Thomas K. Erdmann . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
274
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Table of Contents
Part D
Addressing Specic Aspects of Forest

Restoration
Section XII
Restoration of Different Forest Types
Chapter 41
Restoring Dry Tropical Forests
James Aronson, Daniel Vallauri, Tanguy Jaffr, and
Porter P. Lowry II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
285
Chapter 42
Restoring Tropical Moist Broad-Leaf Forests
David Lamb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
291
Chapter 43
Restoring Tropical Montane Forests
Manuel R. Guariguata . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
298
Chapter 44
Restoring Floodplain Forests
Simon Dufour and Herv Pigay . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
306
Chapter 45
Restoring Mediterranean Forests
Ramon Vallejo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
313
Chapter 46
Restoring Temperate Forests
Adrian Newton and Alan Watson Featherstone . . . . . .
320
Section XIII
Restoring After Disturbances
Chapter 47
Forest Landscape Restoration After Fires
Peter Moore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
331
Chapter 48
Restoring Forests After Violent Storms
Daniel Vallauri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
339
Chapter 49
Managing the Risk of Invasive Alien Species in
Restoration
Jeffrey A. McNeely . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
345
Chapter 50
First Steps in Erosion Control
Steve Whisenant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
350
Table of Contents
xix
Chapter 51
Restoring Forests After Land Abandonment
Jos M. Rey Benayas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
356
Chapter 52
Restoring Overlogged Tropical Forests
Cesar Sabogal and Robert Nasi . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
361
Chapter 53
Opencast Mining Reclamation
Jos Manuel Nicolau Ibarra and
Mariano Moreno de las Heras . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
370
Section XIV
Plantations in the Landscape
Chapter 54
The Role of Commercial Plantations in Forest Landscape
Restoration
Jeffrey Sayer and Chris Elliot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
379
Chapter 55
Attempting to Restore Biodiversity in Even-Aged
Plantations
Florencia Montagnini . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
384
Chapter 56
Best Practices for Industrial Plantations
Nigel Dudley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
392
Part E
Lessons Learned and the Way Forward
Chapter 57
What Has WWF Learned About Restoration at an
Ecoregional Scale?
Nigel Dudley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
401
Chapter 58
Local Participation, Livelihood Needs, and Institutional
Arrangements: Three Keys to Sustainable Rehabilitation
of Degraded Tropical Forest Lands
Unna Chokkalingam, Cesar Sabogal, Everaldo Almeida,
Antonio P. Carandang, Tini Gumartini, Wil de Jong,
Silvio Brienza, Jr., Abel Meza Lopez, Murniati,
Ani Adiwinata Nawir, Lukas Rumboko, Takeshi Toma,
Eva Wollenberg, and Zhou Zaizhi . . . . . . . . . . . . .
405
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Table of Contents
Chapter 59
A Way Forward: Working Together Toward a Vision for
Restored Forest Landscapes
Stephanie Mansourian, Mark Aldrich, and
Nigel Dudley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
415
Appendix
A Selection of Identied Ecological Research Needs
Relating to Forest Restoration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
424
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
427
Acronyms
ACGArea Conservacin Guanacaste
CAPcommon agriculture policy
CATIECentro Agronmico Tropical de
Investigacin y Ensenanza
CBDConvention on Biological Diversity
CBFMcommunity-based forest management
CDMclean development mechanism
CEAMCentro de Estudios Ambientales
Mediterrneos (Mediterranean Centre for
Environmental Studies)
CIFORCentre for International Forestry
Research
DFIDU.K. Department for International
Development
DGDirectorate General
ECEuropean Commission
ECCMEdinburgh Centre for Carbon
Management
ERCecoregion conservation
EUEuropean Union
FAOUnited Nations Food and Agriculture
Organisation
FLOFair-Trade Labelling Organisation
FLRforest landscape restoration
FSCForest Stewardship Council
FONAFIFOFondo Nacional de Financiamiento Forestal (National Fund for
Financing Forestry)
GEFglobal environment facility
GISgeographical information system
GTZDeutsche Gesellschaft fr Technische
Zusammenarbeit (German Company for
International Technical Cooperation)
HCVFhigh conservation value forest
IASinvasive alien species
ICDPIntegrated Conservation and Development Programme
IFOAMThe International Federation of
Organic Agriculture Movements
IMFInternational Monetary Fund
IPFIntergovernmental Panel on Forests
ITTOInternational Tropical Timber
Organisation
IUCNThe World Conservation Union

IISDInternational Institute for Sustainable
Development
IIEDInternational Institute for
Environment and Development
LULUCFLand Use, Land-Use Change, and
Forestry
MOSAICManagement of Strategic Areas
for Integrated Conservation
NTFPnontimber forest products
NGONongovernmental organisation
ODAOverseas Development Assistance
PESpayment for environmental services
PRAparticipatory rural appraisal
PVApopulation viability analysis
RILreduced-impact logging
RRArapid rural appraisal
REACTIONRestoration Actions to
Combat Desertication in the Northern
Mediterranean
SAPARDSpecial Action for Pre-Accession
Measures for Agriculture and Rural
Development
SERISociety for Ecological Restoration
International
SDCSwiss Agency for Development and
Cooperation
SEIStockholm Environment Institute
SLUSwedish University of Agricultural
Sciences
TDFtropical dry forests
TNCThe Nature Conservancy
UNCCDUnited Nations Convention to
Combat Desertication
UNFCCCUnited Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change
USAIDU.S. Agency for International
Development
WWFWorldwide Fund for Nature (also
known as World Wildlife Fund in North
America)
xxi
Contributors List
Mark Aldrich
Manager, Forest Landscape Restoration
Forests for Life Programme
WWF International
Av. Mont Blanc
1196 Gland, Switzerland
E-mail: maldrich@wwnt.org
Thomas F. Alnutt
Senior Conservation Specialist
Conservation Science Programme
World Wildlife FundUS, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20037
E-mail: tom.allnutt@gmail.com
Everaldo Almeida
CIFOR Regional Ofce for Latin America
c/o EMBRAPA Amaznia Oriental
Trav. Dr. Enas Pinheiro s/n
CEP 66.010-080 BelmPar, Brazil
E-mail: e.almeida@cgiar.org
Eduard Plana
Head of Forest Fire Working Group
Forest Technology Centre of Catalonia
Area de Poltica Forestal
Pujada del Seminari s/n
Solsona 25280, Spain
E-mail: eduard.plana@ctfc.es
Nora Berrahmouni Corkland Programme
Coordinator
WWF Mediterranean Programme Ofce
Via Po 25/C
00198 Rome, Italy
E-mail: nberrahmouni@wwmedpo.org
Jennifer Biringer
World Wildlife FundUS, Suite 200
E-mail: jennifer.biringer@wwfus.org
James Aronson
Restoration Ecology Group
CEFE (CNRS-U.M.R. 5175)
1919, Route de Mende
F-34293 Montpellier, France
E-mail: james.aronson@cefe.cnrs.fr
Silvio Brienza, Jr.

Embrapa Amaznia Oriental,
Trav. Dr. Enas Pinheiro s/n 66095-100
BelmPar, Brazil
E-mail: brienza@cpatu.embrapa.br
Martin Ashby
Sion Chapel
Llanwrin
Powys
SY20 8QH
Wales, United Kingdom
E-mail: martin.ashby@Martin-Ashby.
demon.co.uk
Katrina Brown
Professor of Development Studies
School of Development Studies
University of East Anglia
Norwich
NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
E-mail: k.brown@uea.ac.uk
xxiii
xxiv
Contributors List
Antonio P. Carandang
Forestry Consultant
Main Street
Marymount Village, Anos
Los Banos,
Laguna 4030, Philippines
E-mail: apc@laguna.net
Marc Castellnou
Forestry Engineer
GRAF-Fire Service
Government of Catalonia
Ctra. Universitat Autnoma, s/n
08290 Cerdanyola del Valls (Valls
Occidental)
Spain
E-mail: incendis@yahoo.com
Ru Cerdan
Dr. in Geography
Autonomous University of Barcelona
Campus de la UAB, Edici B
08193 Bellaterra
Spain
E-mail: ru.cerdan@uab.es
Soh Koon Chng
Communications Manager
WWF International
Av. Mont Blanc
E-mail: skchng@wwnt.org
Unna Chokkalingam
Scientist
Environmental Services and Sustainable Use
of Forests Programme
Centre for International Forestry Research
(CIFOR)
P.O. Box 6596 JKPWB
Jakarta 10065, Indonesia
E-mail: u.chokkalingam@cgiar.org
Nigel Dudley
Consultant
Equilibrium
47 The Quays
Cumberland Road
Bristol
BS1 6UQ, United Kingdom
E-mail: equilibrium@compuserve.com
Simon Dufour
PhD student
CNRS UMR 5600
18 rue Chevreul
69362 Lyon Cedex 07, France
E-mail: sim_dufour@yahoo.fr
Chris Elliott
Director, Forest Programme
WWF International
Av. Mont Blanc
E-mail: celliott@wwnt.org
Thomas K. Erdmann
Regional Coordinator
ERI Madagascar Project
c/o Development Alternatives, Inc.
7250 Woodmont Ave.
Suite 200
Bethesda, MD 20814
E-mail: tom_erdmann@dai.com
Alan Watson Featherstone
Trees for Life
The Park
Findhorn Bay
Forres IV36 3TZ
Scotland, United Kingdom
E-mail: trees@ndhorn.org
Don Gilmour
Environmental Consultant
42 Mindarie Cres Wellington Point
4160 Queensland, Australia
E-mail: gilmour@itxpress.com.au
Manuel Guariguata
Environmental Affairs Ofcer
United Nations Environment Programme
Secretariat of the Convention on Biological
Diversity
413 St. Jacques, Suite 800
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
E-mail: manuel.guariguata@biodiv.org
Tini Gumartini
(CIFOR)
P.O. Box 6596 JKPWB
E-mail: gumartini@cgiar.org
Contributors List
Lara J. Hansen
Chief Scientist for Climate Change
WWF
1250 24th Street NW
E-mail: lara.hansen@wwfus.org
Mary Hobley
Consultant
Glebe House
Chard Street
Thorncombe
Chard TA20 4NE, United Kingdom
E-mail: mary@maryhobley.co.uk
Marja Hokkanen
Metshallitus
Natural Heritage Services
P.O Box 94
01301 Vantaa, Finland
E-mail: marja.hokkanen@metsa.
Silvia Holz
Ph.D. candidate,
National University of Buenos Aires
Departamento de Ecologa, Gentica y
Evolucin
(4to Piso, Pabelln II).
Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales
Giraldes 2620. Ciudad Universitaria
CP: 1428, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
E-mail: silviaholz@yahoo.com.ar
Jos Manuel Nicolau Ibarra
Profesor Titular de Ecologa
Departamento de Ecologa
Universidad de Alcal
28871 Alcal de Henares
Madrid, Spain
E-mail: josem.nicolau@uah.es
Tanguy Jaffr
Directeur de Recherche de lIRD
Laboratoire de Botanique et dEcologie
Vgtale
Centre IRD
BP A5
F-98848 Noumea Cedex
Nouvelle-Caldonie, France
E-mail: jaffre@noumea.ird.nc
xxv
Wil de Jong
Professor
Japan Centre for Area Studies, National
Museum of Ethnology
10-1 Senri Expo Park, Suita
Osaka 565-8511, Japan
E-mail: wdejong@idc.minpaku.ac.jp
Scott Jones
Forests for People Group
Centre for International Development and
Training
University of Wolverhampton
Telford Campus
TF2 9NT, United Kingdom
E-mail: tiger.moth@ntlworld.com
Gladwin Joseph
Director and Fellow
Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the
Environment
Hebbal
Bangalore 560024, India
E-mail: gladwin@atree.org
Harri Karjalainen
Head, Forest Programme
WWF Finland
Lintulahdenkatu 10
00500 Helsinki, Finland
E-mail: harri.karjalainen@wwf.
David Lamb
School of Integrated Biology
University of Queensland
Brisbane, 4072, Australia
E-mail: d.lamb@botany.uq.edu.au
Abel Meza Lopez
(CIFOR)
Apdo. 558, Carretera Fdco. Basadre km 4,200
Pucallpa, Peru
E-mail: cifor-peru@cgiar.org;
a.meza@cgiar.org
Colby Loucks
World Wildlife FundU.S., Suite 200
E-mail: colby.loucks@wwfus.org
xxvi
Contributors List
Porter P. Lowry II
Curator and Head, Africa and Madagascar
Department
Missouri Botanical Garden
P.O. Box 299
St. Louis, Missouri 63166-0299,
and
Dpartement Systmatique et Evolution,
Musum National dHistoire Naturelle
C.P. 39
57 rue Cuvier
75231 Paris CEDEX 05, France
E-mail: Pete.Lowry@mobot.org
John Morrison
Deputy Director
World Wildlife FundU.S., Suite 200
E-mail: john.morrison@wwfus.org
ConsultantWWF International
10 rte de Burtigny
1268 Begnins, Switzerland
E-mail: stephanie.mansourian@worldcom.ch
Robert Nasi
Principal Scientist
Programme on Environmental Services and
Sustainable Use of Forests
CIRAD
Campus International de Baillarguet TA 10/D
34398 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
E-mail: r.nasi@cgiar.org
Jeffrey A. McNeely
Chief Scientist
Rue Mauverney, 28
E-mail: jam@iucn.org
Florencia Montagnini
Professor in the Practice of Tropical Forestry
Yale University
School of Forestry and Environmental Studies
370 Prospect St.
New Haven, CT 06511
E-mail: orencia.montagnini@yale.edu
Murniati
Forestry Research and Development Agency
(FORDA)
Jalan Gunung Batu No. 5
Bogor, Indonesia
E-mail: murniati@forda.org
Ani Adiwinata Nawir

Scientist
Forests and Livelihoods Programme
(CIFOR)
P.O. Box 6596 JKPWB
E-mail: a.nawir@cgiar.org
Peter Moore
Fire Management and Policy Specialist
Metis AssociatesStrategic Analysts
P.O. Box 1772
Bowral NSW 2576, Australia
E-mail: metis@metis-associates.com
Adrian Newton
Senior Lecturer
School of Conservation Sciences
Bournemouth University
Talbot Campus
Fern Barrow
Poole
Dorset BH12 5BB, United Kingdom
E-mail: anewton@bournemouth.ac.uk
Mariano Moreno de las Heras

PhD Student
Departamento de Ecologa
Edicio de Ciencias
28871 Alcal de Henares
Madrid, Spain
E-mail: mariano.moreno@uah.es.
Nguyen Thi Dao

Annamites Ecoregion Conservation Manager,
Vietnam
WWF Indochina Programme
40 Cat Linh
Ba Dinh District
Hanoi, Vietnam
E-mail: dao@wwfvn.org.vn
Contributors List
Sheila OConnor
Director, Conservation Measures and Audits
WWF International
39 Stoke Gabriel Rd.
Galmpton nr Brixham
Devon TQ5 0NQ, United Kingdom
E-mail: soconnor@wwnt.org
Jessica Orrego
Forestry Project Manager
Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Management
Tower Mains Studios
18F Liberton Brae
Edinburgh, EH16 6AE, United Kingdom
E-mail: jessica.orrego@eccm.uk.com
Gonzalo Oviedo
Senior Advisor, Social Policy
28 Rue Mauverney
E-mail: gonzalo.oviedo@incn.org
Jussi Pivinen
Metshallitus, Natural Heritage Services
P.O. Box 36
40101 Jyvskyl, Finland
E-mail: jussi.paivinen@metsa.
Herv Pigay
Researcher
CNRS UMR 5600
18 rue Chevreul
69362 Lyon Cedex 07, France
E-mail: piegay@univ-lyon3.fr
Guillermo Placci
Consultant
Constitucin 237
5800Ro Cuarto, Cba, Argentina
E-mail: guillermoplacci@ciudad.com.ar
Grard Rambeloarisoa
Forest Programme Ofcer
WWF Madagascar
WWF Madagascar and West Indian Ocean
Programme Ofce
B.P. 738
Antananarivo 101, Madagascar
E-mail: grambeloarisoa@wwf.mg
xxvii
Pedro Regato
Head, Forest Programme
WWF Mediterranean Programme Ofce
Via Po 25/C
00198 Rome, Italy
E-mail: pregato@wwfmedpo.org
Jos M. Rey Benayas
Dpto. de Ecologa
Edicio de Ciencias
28871 Alcal de Henares, Spain
E-mail: josem.rey@uah.es
Doreen Robinson
Biodiversity and Natural Resources Specialist
USAID
1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Ronald Reagan Building 3.08
Washington, DC 20523-3800
E-mail: drobinson@usaid.gov
Triagung Rooswiadji
Programme Manager
WWF Indonesias Nusa Tenggara Programme
Jl. DODIKLAT No. 2
Kelurahan Oebubu
Kupang, NTT 8500, Indonesia
E-mail: triagung@kupang.wasantara.net.id
Lukas Rumboko Wibowo
Forestry Research and Development Agency
(FORDA)
Jalan Gunung Batu No. 5
Bogor, Indonesia
E-mail: lukas_19672000@yahoo.com
Cesar Sabogal
Senior Scientist, Tropical Silviculture and
Forest Management
CIFOR Regional Ofce for Latin America
c/o EMBRAPA Amaznia Oriental
Trav. Dr. Enas Pinheiro s/n,
CEP 66.010-080 Belm
Par, Brazil
E-mail: c.sabogal@cgiar.org
Nick Salafsky
Co-Director
Foundations of Success
4109 Maryland Ave.
Bethesda, MD 20816
E-mail: Nick@FOSonline.org
xxviii
Contributors List
Daniel W. Salzer
Conservation Measures Manager
The Nature Conservancy
Conservation Measures Group
821 SE 14th Ave.
Portland, OR 97214
E-mail: dsalzer@tnc.org
Jeffrey Sayer
Senior Advisor
WWF International
Av. Mont Blanc
E-mail: jsayer@wwnt.org
Kirsten Schuyt
Resource Economist
WWF International
Av. Mont Blanc
E-mail: Kschuyt@wwnt.org
Sue Stolton
Consultant
Equilibrium
47 The Quays, Cumberland Road
Bristol
BS1 6UQ, United Kingdom
E-mail: equilibrium@compuserve.com
Takeshi Toma
Senior Scientist
(CIFOR)
P.O. Box 6596 JKPWB,
E-mail: t.toma@cgiar.org
Present address:
Associate Research Coordinator
Research Planning and Coordination Division,
Forestry and Forest Products Research
Institute (FFPRI)
1 Matsunosato, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8687,
Japan
E-mail: toma@affrc.go.jp
Daniel Vallauri
WWF France
6 Rue des Fabres
13001 Marseille, France
E-mail: dvallauri@wwf.fr
Ramon Vallejo
CEAM,
Parque Tecnolgico,
Ch. Darwin 14
E-46980 Paterna, Spain
E-mail: vvallejo@ub.edu
Lawrence R. Walker
Professor of Biology
Department of Biological Sciences
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Box 454004
4505 Maryland Parkway
Las Vegas, NV 89154-4004
E-mail: walker@unlv.nevada.edu
Steve Whisenant
Professor and Department Head
Department of Rangeland Ecology and Management
2126-TAMU
Texas A&M University
College Station, TX 77843-2126
E-mail: rangerider@mac.com
Eva Wollenberg
Senior Scientist
Forests and Governance Programme
(CIFOR)
P.O. Box 6596 JKPWB
E-mail: L.wollenberg@cgiar.org
Zhou Zaizhi
Research Institute of Tropical Forestry
Chinese Academy of Forestry
Longdong, Guangzhou 510520, China
E-mail: zzzhoucn@21cn.com
Part A
Toward a Wider Perspective in
Forest Restoration
Section I
Introducing Forest Landscape
Restoration
1
Forest Landscape Restoration
in Context
Nigel Dudley, Stephanie Mansourian, and Daniel Vallauri
Key Points to Retain

Forest landscape restoration is grounded in
ecoregion conservation and is dened as a
planned process that aims to regain ecological integrity and enhance human well-being
in deforested or degraded landscapes.
Such an approach helps achieve a balance
between human needs and those of biodiversity by restoring a range of forest functions within a landscape and accepting the
trade-offs that result.
1. Background and
Explanation of the Issue
People have been actively using forests since
long before the beginning of history. The oldest
known written story, the Epic of Gilgamesh
recorded on 12 cuneiform tablets in Assyria in
the seventh century b.c., includes reference to
the problems of forest loss. The need for
good tree husbandry was stressed in Virgils
pastoral poem The Georgics in 30 b.c., written
to promote rural values within the Roman
Empire. The oldest records of forest management in the world have been kept without a
break for 2000 years in Japan, relating to forests
managed to produce timber for Shinto temples.
The need for large-scale restoration has also
been recognised for centuries; for example, the
English pamphleteer John Evelyn wrote a tract

calling for major tree planting during the time
of Queen Elizabeth I in the 1600s. In more
recent times, forest departments around the
world have developed major efforts at reforestation in Europe, eastern North America,
Australia, New Zealand, and increasingly in
parts of the tropics.1 In the last 20 years,
hundreds of aid and conservation projects
have promoted and carried out tree planting
schemes and the development of tree nurseries,
aimed at both supplying goods such as fuelwood and at restoring ecological functions and
protecting biodiversity. Following the Society
for Ecological Restoration International (SERI)
and its chapters around the world, the scientic
knowledge on ecological restoration has been
conceptualised and applied to many different
types of ecosystem, including forest landscapes.
Good books have already been published.2
Why then do we need another book about
restoration?
The arguments for forest restoration are
becoming more compelling. Forest loss and
degradation is a worldwide problem, with net
annual estimates of forest loss being 9.4 million
hectares throughout the 1990s3 and those
for degradation uncalculated but universally
agreed to be even higher. The most severe
losses are currently concentrated mainly,
although not exclusively, in the tropics, with
1
2
3
For an overview see Perlin, 1991.

Perrow and Davy; 2002, SERI, 2002; Whisenant, 1999.
FAO, 2001.
N. Dudley et al
the temperate countries gradually recovering

forest area if not necessarily quality after severe
deforestation in the past. As well as creating
acute threats to forest dependent biodiversity,
the decline in global forests also has a series of
direct social and economic costs because of the
role of forests in supplying timber and many
important nontimber forest products along
with a wide range of environmental service
such as the stabilisation of soils and climate.
Forest loss and degradation has already led to
the extinction of species, has altered hydrological regimes and damaged the livelihoods
of millions of peoplemainly amongst the
poorest on the earthwho rely on forests for
subsistence. In many areas, protecting and managing the remaining forests are no longer sufcient steps in themselves to ensure that forest
functions are maintained, and restoration is
already an essential third component of any
management strategy.
Unfortunately, many existing restoration
projects have partially or completely failed,
often because the trees that they sought to
establish have not survived or have been
rapidly destroyed by the same pressures that
have caused forest loss in the rst place.
Anyone working regularly in the tropics
becomes accustomed to nding abandoned tree
nurseries, often with their donor organisations
signboards still in place, the paint gradually
peeling away. Even when crops of trees have
survived to maturity, they have not necessarily
been welcomed, as evidenced by the widespread controversy over afforestation with
exotic monocultures of conifers in much of
western Europe4 and the increasingly bitter
debates about tree plantations in the tropics.5
There has also often been a mismatch
between social and ecological goals of conservation; either restoration has aimed to full
social or economic needs without reference to
its wider ecological impacts, or it has had a
narrow conservation aim without taking into
account peoples needs.
A number of consequent problems can be
identied. Most restoration to date has been
4
5
Tompkins, 1989.
Carrere and Lohmann, 1996.
site-based, aiming to produce one or at most a

limited number of goods and services. Projects
have often sought to encourage and sometimes
impose tree planting without understanding
why trees disappeared in the rst place and
without attempting to address the immediate or
underlying causes of forest loss.6 Projects have
also relied heavily on tree planting, which is
often the most expensive way of reestablishing
tree cover over a large area, frightening off governments, donors, and nongovernmental organisations. Because restoration takes time, it is
essential to think and plan long term. Unfortunately, short-term political interests often
supersede longer term priorities, creating simplistic approaches.
The above reservations are not to underestimate the major steps that have been made in
understanding the ecological and social aspects
of restoration, many of which are summarised in
this book. Criticising after the event is always
easy, and we also recognise the very real benets that have accrued from successful restoration projects. Nonetheless, we are far from alone
in believing that some new perspectives are
needed in addressing the current restoration
challenge. Perhaps the most important of these
relates to working on a broader scale, along with
all the implications that this has.
1.1. Taking a Broader Approach

An increasing number of governmental and
nongovernmental conservation institutions
have recognised that in order to achieve lasting
conservation impacts it is necessary to work
on a larger scale than has been the case in the
past. Although there are a number of ways of
dening useful ecological units for planning
conservation, the concept of the ecoregion is
increasingly being adopted, including by WWF,
the global conservation organisation. An ecoregion is dened as a large area of land or water
that contains a geographically distinct assemblage of natural communities that share a large
majority of their species and ecological dynamics, share similar environmental conditions, and
Eckholm, 1979.
1. Forest Landscape Restoration in Context
Ecoregion
Landscape
Site
Landscape
Site
Site
Site
Site
Landscape
Site
Site
Site
Site
Figure 1.1. At the ecoregional scale, ecoregion

visioning can help to identify a series of priority landscapes. At the landscape level, assessment and negotiation can help to identify agreed forest functions to
be restored, leading to a number of actions at individual sites within the landscape. All these t within
the landscape goals for restoration, which themselves contribute to the ecoregion vision.
interact ecologically in ways that are critical

for their long-term persistence. Ecoregions are
suitable for broad-scale planning, which usually
includes the identication of a few smaller priority landscapes that are particularly important
from a conservation perspective, themselves
composed of numerous sites with different
management regimes or habitats (see chapter
Restoration as a Strategy to Contribute to
Ecoregion Visions).
As used here (Fig. 1.1), landscapes are generally smaller than ecoregions, and typically
a number of important conservation landscapes have been identied within ecoregions
during planning processes. But the key point
here is that landscapes are bigger than single
sites and therefore almost always encompass a
range of different management approaches.
Coming from a conservation organisation,
this book is biased toward ecological and biodiversity issues. However, forests have social
and economic functions as well, and restoration
efforts often need to address many needs at
once. This may not be possible within a single
site; it is, for example, difcult to create a large
harvest of industrial timber or rewood in an
environment that is also suitable for specialised
or sensitive wildlife species. One important
reason for shifting the focus to a landscape
scale is that it is hoped this can provide a broadenough area to plan a suite of restoration activ-
ities that could meet multiple needs and to

negotiate the compromises and trade-offs that
such a mosaic entails. The aims of forest landscape restoration have therefore always transcended conservation to embrace development
as well, and we have invited a number of
experts to provide a parallel set of social tools
and approaches within the current volume. We
believe that successful restoration on a broad
scale relies on getting the right mix between
social and environmental needs; this is a fundamental part of the process and not an
optional extra.
Accordingly, in 2000, WWF and IUCN, the
World Conservation Union, brought together a
range of experts from different organisations,
different regions, and different disciplines to
agree on a denition for forest landscape
restoration7: A planned process that aims to
regain ecological integrity and enhance human
well-being in deforested or degraded landscapes. This denition and approach lies at
the heart of the current book. Ecological
integrity is described by Parks Canada as a
state of ecosystem development that is characteristic of its geographic location, containing a
full range of native species and supportive
processes that are present in viable numbers.
Well-being embraces the factors that make
7
WWF and IUCN, 2000.
N. Dudley et al
human life comfortable, such as money, peace,

health, stability, and equable governance.
1.2. What Is Special About Forest

Restoration in a Landscape?
Restoring the complexity of a small patch of
forests is in itself an achievement. However, a
greater challenge lies in restoring a matrix of
forests within larger areaslandscapesto
meet different needs. At this greater spatial
scale, different inuences, pressures, stakeholders, and habitats coexist, which in some
ways increases the challenges of restoration.
However, the landscape scale also provides
enough space to plan and implement restoration to meet multiple needs.
Conservation priorities therefore must be
balanced with other aspects of sustainable
development. Specic uses and priorities may
have to be focussed on part of the forest landscape, and the resulting trade-offs negotiated
and agreed to by a wide range of stakeholders.
The resulting task is generally too complex
to be solved solely by site-based approaches
focussing on a narrow range of benets from
individual forests. Achieving a balance between
the various goods and services required from
restored forest ecosystems requires conceptualisation, planning, and implementation on a
broader scale.
It also requires deciding where forest is and
is not needed. Aiming at restoring forest functions does not necessarily mean restoring forest
across the whole landscape; this is often impossible in a crowded world with many competing
claims on land. Rather, it entails identifying
those areas where forests are most useful, from
a variety of social and ecological perspectives,
and further identifying what type of forest is
likely to be most useful in a particular location.
Whilst from a conservation perspective a high
degree of naturalness is often important, this
may not be the case for social or economic uses.
Even in the parts of the landscape that are specialised in conservation, sometimes cultural
landscapes are desired either because they have
been in place for so long that remaining biodiversity has adapted to these conditions or
because there is not sufcient space for a fully
functioning natural system (for instance, with
respect to the way that the forest changes and

regenerates over time).
Forests managed for social needs may have
different priorities. Sometimes these overlap
with conservation requirementsfor instance
some forests managed for nontimber forest
products can be extremely rich in biodiversityin other cases they do not. Seeking a
balance at a landscape scale is more important
than trying to make sure that every scrap of
forest fulls every possible role. Broad-scale
restoration in most cases, therefore, has to
address multiple, sometimes competing, needs
that will themselves entail different types of
forests (perhaps ranging from natural forests to
plantations) and sometimes also including quite
specic requirements such as particular nontimber forest products required by local communities or maintenance of water quality in a
certain watershed. Such multifunctional landscapes by their nature need to be planned and
implemented on a far broader scale than an
individual forest patch.
2. Conclusion
For foresters, restoration traditionally meant
establishing trees for a number of functions
(wood or pulp production, soil protection). For
many conservationists restoration is either
about restoring original forest cover in
degraded areas or about planting corridors of
forest to link protected areas. For many interested in social development, the emphasis will
instead be on establishing trees that are useful
for fuelwood, or fruits, or as windbreaks and
livestock enclosures. The sad fact is that all too
many restoration projects do not bother to nd
out what local people really want at all; if they
do, then a collection of different and often
opposing or mutually exclusive wants and
desires emerge. There is still a lot to be learned
and disseminated about reconciling nature and
human needs, and about planning restoration
areas within larger scales in order to return as
wide a range of forest functions as possible.This
requires the ability to work across disciplines,
including
agriculture,
forest-compatible
income-generation activities, forestry, and
addressing water issues as well as specic social
1. Forest Landscape Restoration in Context
issues. It also, perhaps even more importantly,

requires nding out how to bring the people
most affected into the debate, not as a matter
of duty or because funding agencies expect it
but because this is vital and necessary for both
nature and human well-being.
Through ecoregion conservation, WWF has
learned that working on a large scale is complex, costly, and time-intensive; however, it is
also a more sustainable way of addressing conservation than through small, often unrelated
projects. This approach is also a challenge for
restoration.
References
Carrere, R., and Lohmann, L. 1996. Pulping the
South: Industrial Plantations and the World Paper
Economy. Zed Books and the World Rainforest
Movement, London and Montevideo.
Eckholm, E. 1979. Planting for the Future: Forestry

for Human Needs. Worldwatch Paper number 26.
Worldwatch Institute, Washington, DC.
FAO. 2001. Global Forest Resource Assessment
2000: Main Report. FAO Forestry Paper 140. Food
and Agriculture Organisation of the United
Nations, Rome.
Perlin, J. 1991. A Forest Journey: The Role of Wood
in the Development of Civilisation. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, and London.
Perrow, M.R., and Davy, A.J. 2002. Handbook or
Ecological Restoration, vol. 1 and 2. Cambridge
University Press, Cambridge, UK.
Society for Ecological Restoration International.
Science and Policy Working Group. 2002. The SER
Primer on Ecological Restoration, www.ser.org.
Tompkins, S. 1989. Forestry in Crisis: The Battle for
the Hills. Christopher Helm, London.
Whisenant, S.G. 1999. Repairing Damaged Wildlandsa Process-Oriented, Landscape-Scale
Approach. Cambridge University Press.
WWF and IUCN. 2000. Minutes, Restoration workshop, Segovia, Spain (unpublished).
2
Overview of Forest Restoration
Strategies and Terms
Confusion reigns as the term restoration is used indiscriminately, with no consensus even among practitioners in its meaning.
1. Background and
Stanturf and Madsen, 2002

There are numerous terms promoting different strategies when dealing with forest
restoration, which could be a source of confusion.
WWF is implementing forest landscape
restoration (FLR) as an integral component
of the conservation of large, biologically
important areas such as ecoregions, along
with protection and good management.
Forest landscape restoration is an approach
to forest restoration that seeks to balance
human needs with those of biodiversity, thus
aiming to restore a range of forest functions
and accepting and negotiating the trade-offs
between them.
While the challenge of restoration on a large
scale is greater than at individual sites, it is
accepted nowadays that the effectiveness of
forest restoration and its chances of sustainability are both much greater on a large
scale.
Forest landscape restoration aims to achieve
a landscape containing valuable forests,
rather than returning forest cover across an
entire landscape.
When forests are lost or degraded, we lose far

more than just the trees that they contain.
Forests provide a large number of goods and
services, including habitat for species, homeland for indigenous peoples, recreational areas,
food, medicines, and environmental services
such as soil stabilisation. And as forest areas are
reduced, pressure on remaining forests
increases.
Efforts at reversing this trend have had only
limited success. For many, restoration signies large-scale afforestation or reforestation
(mainly using fast growing exotic species),
which have only limited conservation benets.
This has been the approach taken by many governments that are seeking to support a timber
industry or create jobs or, equally, those who
have taken a simplistic approach to ood or
other disaster mitigation. On the other hand,
some have sought to re-create original forests,
a near-impossible feat in areas where millennia
of human intervention have modied the landscape and local conditions.
Many different terms are used to describe
these different approaches and can result in
some confusion or misconceptions.8 We attempt
here to cover most of the terminology used in
English taken from the Society for Ecological
Restoration International (SERI), which has
8
Ormerod, 2003.
2. Overview of Forest Restoration Strategies and Terms
made the best attempt at cataloguing and dening these different terminologies and concepts.
It must be noted that this complexity is also
apparent and sometimes exacerbated when
translating these terms into other languages.
2. Examples
We present below a number of terms that have
been dened recently by SERI in its The SER
Primer on Ecological Restoration.9
2.1. Ecological Restoration

Ecological restoration is dened as the process
of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that
has been degraded, damaged, or destroyed. It is
an intentional activity that initiates or accelerates the recovery of an ecosystem with respect
to its health, integrity, and sustainability.
Example 1: In 2000, in an attempt to re-create
a native wild wood, the Scottish nongovernmental organisation (NGO), Borders Forest
Trust, together with many partners, bought a
600-hectare plot of land, Carrifran, in the
Southern Uplands of Scotland in order to
restore its original forest. Thanks to fossil
pollen buried deep in peat, it was possible to
identify the nature of the variety of species previously found on this now near-denuded site
and therefore to develop a restoration plan that
aimed to re-create the species mix that had
occurred in the past. Thousands of native tree
seeds from surviving woodland remnants in
the vicinity were collected. A total of 103.13
hectares (165,008 trees) have been planted at
Carrifran since the start of the project. The
upper part of the site is being allowed to regenerate naturally.10
2.2. Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation emphasises the reparation of
ecosystem processes, productivity, and services,
whereas the goals of restoration also include
the reestablishment of the preexisting biotic
9
10
SERI, 2002.
www.carrifran.com.
integrity in terms of species composition and

community structure.
Example 2: Bamburi Cements quarries in
Mombasa (Kenya) were once woodland
expanses covering 1,200 hectares.11 Starting in
1971, experiments began with the rehabilitation
of the disused quarries. In the face of badly
damaged soils, three tree species proved
capable of withstanding the difcult growing
conditions: Casuarina equisetifolia, Conocarpus
lancifolius, and the coconut palm. The Casuarina is nitrogen xing and is drought and salt
tolerant, enabling it to colonise areas left
virtually without soil. The Conocarpus is also a
drought-, ood-, and salt-tolerant swamp tree.
The decomposition of the Casuarina leaf litter
was initially very slow due to a high protein
content, thus impeding the nutrient cycling
process, although this problem was overcome
by introducing a local red-legged millipede that
feeds on the dry leaves and starts the decomposition process. Today this area contains more
than 200 coastal forest species and a famous
nature trail, attracting 100,000 visitors a year
since opening in 1984.
2.3. Reclamation
Reclamation is a term commonly used in the
context of mined lands in North America and
the United Kingdom. It has as its main objectives the stabilisation of the terrain, assurance
of public safety, aesthetic improvement, and
usually a return of the land to what, within the
regional context, is considered to be a useful
purpose.
Example 3: A large open-cut bauxite mine at
Trombetas in Par state in central Amazonia
is located in an area of relatively undisturbed
evergreen equatorial moist forest. A reclamation programme has been developed to restore
the original forest cover as far as possible. The
project has treated about 100 hectares of mined
land per year for the last 15 years. First, the
mined site was levelled and topsoil replaced to
a depth of about 15 cm using topsoil from the
site that was removed and stockpiled (for less
11
Baer, 1996.
10
S. Mansourian
than 6 months) prior to mining. Next, the site

was deep-ripped to a depth of 90 cm (1-m
spacing between rows). Trees were planted
along alternate rip lines at 2-m spacings (2500
trees per hectare) using direct seeding, stumped
saplings, or potted seedlings. Some 160 local
tree species were tested for their suitability in
the programme, and more than 70 species from
the local natural forests are now routinely used.
After 13 years most sites have many more tree
and shrub species than those initially planted
because of seeds stored in the topsoil or colonisation from the surrounding forest. Not surprisingly, the density of these new colonists is
greater at sites near intact forest, but dispersal
was evident up to 640 m away from old-growth
forest. The new species, most of which have
small seed, have been brought to the site by
birds, bats, or terrestrial mammals.12
2.4. Afforestation/Reforestation
Afforestation and reforestation refer to the
articial establishment of trees, in the former
case where no trees existed before. In addition,
in the context of the U.N.s Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and
the Kyoto protocol, specic denitions have
been agreed on reforestation and afforestation.13 Afforestation is dened by the UNFCCC
as the direct human-induced conversion of
land that has not been forested for a period of
at least 50 years to forested land through planting, seeding, and/or human induced promotion
of natural seed sources.
Example 4: During the middle years of the
20th century, very large areas of longdeforested land were planted in Scotland by
the state forestry body, initially as a strategic
resource. In contrast to the Borders Forest Trust
project described above, these efforts made no
attempt to re-create the original forest, instead
using exotic monocultures, mainly of Sitka
spruce from Alaska (Picea sitchensis) or Norway
spruce (Picea abies) from mainland Europe.
Planting was generally so dense that virtually no
understorey plant species developed.
12
13
Lamb and Gilmour, 2003.

UNFCC, 2003.
Reforestation is dened by the UNFCCC as

the direct human-induced conversion of nonforested land to forested land through planting,
seeding, and/or the human-induced promotion
of natural seed sources, on land that was
forested but that has been converted to nonforested land.
Example 5: In Madagascar, large plantation
projects were planned in the early 1970s to
supply a paper mill on the Haut Mangoro. By
1990 about 80,000 hectares had been planted,
97 percent of which was Pinus spp. This project
created signicant social and political tensions,
as the local population systematically opposed
a project that it felt was not providing much
benet.14
2.5. What Is WWFs Denition?

In 2000 WWF and IUCN, the World Conservation Union, were asking the questions: What
is meant by forest restoration? How can we
achieve lasting and successful forest restoration
in our ecoregional programmes? The two
organisations felt that a suitable denition and
typology of restoration were needed. In particular, given the large-scale conservation work
that the organisations were engaging in, it was
felt that there was still a gap in knowledge and
in approaches to forest restoration. Notably,
how does forest restoration relate to plantations, agroforestry, secondary forests, biological
corridors, and single trees in the landscape?
In July 2000 WWF and IUCN brought
together a number of regional conservation
staff, foresters, economists, and other professionals to help them take restoration forward.
They dened the term forest landscape restoration as a planned process that aims to
regain ecological integrity15 and enhance
human well-being16 in deforested or degraded
landscapes.
14
Faralala, 2003.
Ecological Integrity, for WWF and IUCN, is maintaining the diversity and quality of ecosystems, and enhancing
their capacity to adapt to change and provide for the needs
of future generations.
16
Human well-being, for WWF and IUCN, is ensuring that
all people have a role in shaping decisions that affect their
ability to meet their needs, safeguard their livelihoods, and
realise their full potential.
15
The key elements of FLR are as follows:

It is implemented at a landscape scale rather
than a single sitethat is to say, planning for
forest restoration is done in the context of
other elements: social, economic, and biological, in the landscape. This does not necessarily imply planting trees across an entire
landscape but rather strategically locating
forests and woodlands in areas that are necessary to achieve an agreed set of functions
(e.g., habitat for a specic species, soil stabilisation, provision of building materials for
local communities).
It has both a socioeconomic and an ecological dimension. People who have a stake in
the state of the landscape are more likely to
engage positively in its restoration.
It implies addressing the root causes of forest
loss and degradation. Restoration can sometimes be achieved simply by removing whatever caused the loss of forest, (such as
perverse incentives and grazing animals).
This also means that without removing the
cause of forest loss and degradation, any
restoration effort is likely to be in vain.
It opts for a package of solutions. There is
no single restoration technique that can be
applied to all situations. In each case a
number of elements need to be covered, but
how to do that depends on the local conditions. The package may include practical
techniques, such as agro-forestry, enrichment
planting, and natural regeneration at a landscape scale, but also embraces policy analysis, training, and research.
It involves a range of stakeholders in planning and decision making to achieve a
solution that is acceptable and therefore sustainable. The decision of what to aim for in
the long term when restoring a landscape
should ideally be made through a process
that includes representatives of different
interest groups in the landscape in order to
reach, if not a consensus, at least a compromise that is acceptable to all.
It involves identifying and negotiating tradeoffs. In relation to the above point, when a
consensus cannot be reached, different interest groups need to negotiate and agree on
11
what may seem like a less than optimal solution if taken from one perspective, but a solution that when taken from the whole groups
perspective can be acceptable to all.
It places the emphasis not only on forest
quantity but also on forest quality. Decision
makers often think predominantly about the
area of trees to be planted when considering
restoration, yet often improving the quality
of existing forests can yield bigger benets
for a lower cost.
It aims to restore a range of forest goods,
services, and processes, rather than forest
cover per se. It is not just the trees themselves
that are important, but often all of the
accompanying elements that go with healthy
forests, such as nutrient cycling, soil stabilisation, medicinal and food plants, forestdwelling animal species, etc. Including the
full range of potential benets in the planning process makes the choice of restoration
technique, locations, and tree species much
more focussed. It also allows more exibility
for discussions on trade-offs with different
stakeholders, by providing a diversity of
values rather than just one or two.
Forest landscape restoration goes beyond
establishing forest cover per se. Its aim is to
achieve a landscape containing valuable forests,
for instance partly to provide timber, partly
mixed with subsistence crops to raise yields and
protect the soils, as well as partly improving
biodiversity habitat and increasing the availability of subsistence goods. By balancing these
within a landscape, WWF believes that it is possible to enhance the overall benets to people
and biodiversity at that scale.
3. Outline of Tools
Broad denitions and explanations of what
restoration entails can be found in most conservation and forestry institutions. Nonetheless,
little of this has reached the eld. Because of its
complexity, large-scale restoration requires a
mixture of responses from practical to political
and many practitioners are at a loss as to where
to begin.
Some practical guidance is available:
12
S. Mansourian
The Society for Ecological Restoration

(SERI) have developed guidelines for
restoration (see Guidelines for Developing
and Managing Ecological Restoration Projects, 2000, at www.ser.org).
The International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO) developed some guidelines17on
the restoration, management, and rehabilitation of degraded and secondary tropical
forests.
The International Union of Forest Research
Organisations (IUFRO) runs a special programme on correct usage of technical terms in
forestry called SilvaVoc, available on its Web
site: www.iufro.org/science/special/silvavoc/.
The Nature Conservancy (TNC)18 has identied some guidance on when and where to restore (see Geography of Hope Update, When
and Where to Consider Restoration in Ecoregional Planning at www.conserveonline.org).
In 2003, IUCN and WWF published a book,
by David Lamb and Don Gilmour,19 Rehabilitation and Restoration of Degraded
Forests, which covers site-based techniques
to restoration (summarised in a paper in this
manual) but also highlights some of the
gaps.
Cambridge Press has produced a Handbook
of Ecological Restoration,20 which is a
two-volume handbook containing a large
amount of material on the diverse aspects of
restoration.
It should also be noted that a number of
state forest services and the U.S. Department
of Agriculture have produced guidelines for
planting trees. However, while these guidelines
may have some applicability for very specic
cases (issues dealing with one or another
specic species), they are of limited value for
restoration within ecoregions or large and biologically and structurally complex areas.
Tools available to address specic elements
of restoration are summarised in other chapters
of this manual.
17
18
19
20
ITTO, 2002.
TNC, 2002.
Perrow and Davy, 2002.
4. Future Needs
In the context of terminology related to restoration, given the urry of interest, concepts, and
denitions being touted, there is a need for
a set of widely accepted denitions (such as
those of SERI) to be used more systematically and rigorously;
efforts and resources to be more focussed on
the doing than on the dening;
greater exchanges, debates, and sharing of
experiences in order to disseminate the
accepted concepts and the positive experiences; and
the accepted denitions in the restoration
eld to be shared with other relevant expert
groups, such as development workers,
foresters, extension ofcers, etc.
References
Baer, S. 1996. Rehabilitation of Disused Limestone
Quarries Through Reafforestation (Baobab Farm,
Mombasa, Kenya). World Bank/Unep Africa
Forestry Policy Forum, Nairobi, August 2930,
1996.
Faralala. 2003. Rapport de Reconnaissance dans
Cinq Paysages Forestiers. WWF, Madagascar.
ITTO Policy Series No. 13. 2002. Guidelines on
the Restoration, Management and Rehabilitation
of Degraded and Secondary Tropical Forest.
Yokohama, Japan.
Lamb, D., and Gilmour, D. 2003. Rehabilitation
and Restoration of Degraded Forests. IUCN,
Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK, and
WWF, Gland, Switzerland.
Ormerod, S.J. 2003. Restoration in applied ecology:
editors introduction. Journal of Applied Ecology
40:4450.
Perrow, M., and Davy A., eds. 2002. Handbook of
Ecological Restoration. Cambridge University
Press, Cambridge, England.
Society for Ecological Restoration International.
Science and Policy Working Group. 2002. The SER
Primer on Ecological Restoration, www.ser.org/.
Stanturf, J.A., and Madsen, P. 2002. Restoration concepts for temperate and boreal forests of North
America and Western Europe. Plant Biosystems
136(2):143158.

The Nature Conservancy (TNC). 2002. Geography of
Hope Update: When and Where to Consider
Restoration in Ecoregional Planning. www.conserveonline.org.
United Nations Framework Conference on Climate
Change (UNFCCC) Subsidiary Body for Scientic
13
and Technological Advice. 2003. Land Use,

Land-Use Change and Forestry: Denitions and
Modalities for Including Afforestation and Reforestation Activities Under Article 12 of the Kyoto
Protocol. Eighteenth session, Bonn, June 413,
2003.
Section II
The Challenging Context of Forest
Restoration Today
3
Impact of Forest Loss and
Degradation on Biodiversity
Nigel Dudley

Assessment of current forest condition is a
necessary precursor to restoration.
Ecological assessments should consider
issues related to biodiversity, level of naturalness, and more generally ecological
integrity.
A number of assessment tools exist, for
national, landscape, and site-level assessments. They include: at national scale, frontier forests; at landscape scale, forest quality
assessment; and a number of site-level tools
including High Conservation Value Forest
assessments.
1. Background and
1.1. The Need for Assessment and
Likely Impacts of Forest Loss
Assessment of forest condition is an important
precursor to the planning and implementation
of restoration programmes. Restoration is a
process that in the case of forests generally aims
at rebuilding the ecosystem to some earlier or
more desirable stage. There is widespread
recognition of the need for restoration; for
example, in its Programme of Work on Protected Areas the Convention on Biological
Diversity advises governments to rehabilitate

and restore habitats and degraded ecosystems,
as appropriate, as a contribution to building
ecological networks, ecological corridors and/or
buffer zones. Given limited time and resources,
restoration must be strategic, focussing on
forests that have the highest importance to biodiversity or to society, and considering the four
goals of conservation biology: representation,
maintenance of evolutionary/ecological processes, maintenance of species, and conservation
of large habitat blocks. Reasonably ne-scale
analyses are needed to choose specic sites
where restoration might bring the highest benets. From a conservation perspective, this
means evaluating the impacts of forest loss,
including analysis of biodiversity, authenticity,
and ecological integrity.
Impacts on biodiversity: Complete forest loss
has the clearest impact on biodiversity, with
most forest-dwelling species unable to live in
habitats that replace forests. However, it is
harder to measure the impacts of changes such
as fragmentation and loss of microhabitats.
Management often simplies forests, reducing
biodiversity and age range; as older and dead
trees disappear, so do many associated species.
Conversely, pioneer or weed species may
increase. Biodiversity monitoring is costly, and
our knowledge of many forest ecosystems is
still incomplete. One concept that has gained
increasing recognition in the last few years is
that of critical thresholds for particular species,
that is, the population level below which further
decline and eventual extirpation or extinction
17
18
N. Dudley
is likely, and where these thresholds are known

they can play a key role in monitoring impacts
and planning restoration strategies.
Impacts on authenticity or naturalness: On an
ecosystem scale, measuring impacts on overall
naturalness of forests is easier than surveying
biodiversity and acts as a partial surrogate; generally the greater the naturalness of a forest, the
more of its original constituent species are likely
to survive. Worldwide forest authenticity is
declining fast. In most West European countries
less than 1 percent of forests are classied by the
United Nations as undisturbed.21 A growing
proportion of forests in Africa, the Pacic, and
the Amazon have been logged at least once.
Ecological integrity: This concept covers
many of the above issues. It is dened by Parks
Canada as a condition that is determined to be
characteristic of its natural region and likely to
persist, including abiotic components and the
composition and abundance of native species
and biological communities, rates of change,
and supporting processes.22
Evaluation of options for restoration should
also consider the reasons why forest loss or
degradation have occurred. Many restoration
programmes fail because the pressures that
caused deforestation are not addressed, and
restored forests suffer the same fate as the original forests. If population or economic pressures mean that there is insufcient fuelwood,
then planted trees will be burned long before
they have a chance to mature and reach a useful
size. On the other hand, understanding the
nature of the pressures and working with local
communities to plan restoration in ways that
are mutually benecial increases the chances of
restoration succeeding. Assessment needs to
address several different aspects:
Whilst the rst two can be assessed through

single surveys, assessment of trends implies the
need for a monitoring system.
2. Examples
2.1. New Caledonia
In New Caledonia the overall loss of forests
creates a critical threat to biodiversity and ecological integrity. Today only 2 percent of the
dry forest remains in the island, in scattered
fragments of 300 hectares or less, leading to
extreme threats to the remaining biodiversity.
Over half of the 117 dry forest plant species
assessed by the IUCN Species Survival Commission are threatened, and it is likely that
several have already gone extinct. For example,
the tree Pittosporum tanianum was discovered
in 1988 on Leprdour Island in an area that has
been devastated by introduced rabbits and
deer, declared extinct in 1994, and rediscovered
in 2002. This level of damage suggests an urgent
need for both restoration of forest cover and a
carefully designed series of interventions to
protect and allow the spread of species that
may already be at critically low levels.23
2.2. Western Europe
Impacts of forest loss and degradation on

biodiversity, naturalness, and ecological
integrity;
Some of the key factors causing change;
Changes in biodiversity, naturalness, and
ecological integrity following restoration
interventions.
Changes in management and human disturbance have reduced near-natural forests to less
than 1 percent of their original area in most
western European countries, despite an expanding forest estate. In Europe as a whole, almost
nine million hectares are dened as undisturbed by man, but most of this exists in the
Russian Federation and Scandinavia; Sweden
records 16 percent of its forest as natural,
Finland 5 percent, and Norway 2 percent. In
most of Europe the proportion is usually from
zero to less than 1 percent; for instance, Switzerland records 0.6 percent.24 Even in forest-rich
countries like Finland and Sweden, many
forestd-welling species are threatened because
the forests contain only a proportion of the
21
23
22
UNECE and FAO, 2000.

Parks Canada, undated.
24
Vallauri and Graux, 2004.

UNECE and FAO, 2000.
3. Impact of Forest Loss and Degradation on Biodiversity
expected habitats and ecosystem functions.

Here the challenge is less to recover forest area
(although this may sometimes be important)
than to restore natural ecosystem processes and
microhabitats. Specic monitoring criteria are
needed and these have started to be developed,
for instance by the Ministerial Conference on
the Protection of Forests in Europe.25
2.3. Brazilian Atlantic Forests

In the Atlantic forest of Brazil, forest loss
and fragmentation are combining to threaten
endemic species. Although international attention tends to focus on threats to the Amazon,
the Atlantic forests of Brazil have undergone
far more dramatic losses. The forests have
already been reduced to just 7 percent of their
original size, and the associated threats to biodiversity are increased because the remaining
areas are fragmented and the populations are
genetically isolated. The area is home to many
endemic species, including some of the 19 resident primates and 92 percent of amphibian
species found there. Attention has focussed particularly on the golden lion tamarins (Leontopithecus rosalia), which now inhabit less than 2
percent of their original range.Their population
is currently around 1000, up from little more
than 200 twenty years ago following a major
conservation effort. However, population is still
believed to be below long-term viability, and
subpopulations are isolated in remaining forest
fragments. Restoration efforts, therefore, focus
particularly in reconnecting the remaining
forest fragments of high biological importance.
2.4. Uganda
In Uganda loss of connectivity is separating
populations of mountain gorillas even in areas
with relatively high forest cover. The worlds
remaining mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei
beringei) live in isolated rain forests in the
mountains on the borders of Uganda, Rwanda,
and the Democratic Republic of Congo, with
half of the worlds known population, 350 indi25
Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in

Europe, 2002.
19
viduals, in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Reserve

in Uganda. Another major population is in the
Virunga volcanoes area, some of which is in
Mgahinga National Park. Neither of these populations is considered large enough to be genetically secure over time, but both reserves are
also thought to be reaching their natural carrying capacity. Linking the two populations is
important for their long-term survival, but the
intervening land has all been converted to agriculture, and any restoration efforts will need a
long period of planning and negotiation (information from park staff in Bwindi).
Understanding of what has been lost, and
what is at risk of being lost, should be the basis
for any forest restoration that has biodiversity
conservation amongst its aims. This needs to be
augmented with an understanding of what type
or quality of forest is needed to maintain biodiversity. If the key issue is connectivity for large
mammals and birds, for example, managed secondary forests or even plantations or shadegrown coffee may be suitable. If the threats are
more generally to forest biodiversity, restoration efforts should probably be aimed at creating a forest as near to natural as possible.
3. Outline of Tools
Detailed biodiversity surveys are expensive and
rely on a high level of expertise. Methodologies
for achieving these have become increasingly
sophisticated, and a number of short cuts have
been developed where time and money are
limited.
3.1. National Level Surveys

National level surveys can help identify the
scale of the problems and the locations of valuable remaining forest habitat, which should
usually serve as the starting point for restoration efforts. The U.N. Economic Commission
for Europe and the Food and Agriculture
Organisation asked countries to report on the
proportion of their forest that was undisturbed
by man, taken here to mean left without management interventions for at least 200 years.
This has created a fairly crude but effective
20
N. Dudley
international database for many of the temperate countries, but as yet no similar exercise has
been attempted in the tropics. It also does not
create a very useful way of measuring progress
in restoration. Some individual countries (e.g.,
Austria, France, and the U.K.) have also carried
out detailed surveys of ancient forest.
of results, and incorporation into management.

Information is collected through primary
research, literature review, and interviews. The
extent to which assessment is a participatory
process can change depending on the situation
and aims.27
3.4. Frontier Forest Analysis

3.2. High Conservation Value
Forests (HCVF)
This is a WWF/ProForest methodology for identifying the forests of the highest conservation
and social value in a landscape, drawing on six
different types of HCVF: (1) forest areas containing globally, regionally, or nationally signicant concentrations of biodiversity values (e.g.,
endemism, endangered species, refugia); (2)
forest areas containing globally, regionally, or
nationally signicant large landscape level
forests, where viable populations of most if not
all naturally occurring species exist in natural
patterns of distribution and abundance; (3)
forest areas that are in or contain rare, threatened, or endangered ecosystems; (4) forest areas
that provide basic services of nature in critical
situations; (5) forest areas fundamental to
meeting basic needs of local communities; and
(6) forest areas critical to local communities traditional cultural identity.26 Although designed
initially for site-level assessments, a landscapescale methodology is being developed.
3.3. Forest Quality Assessment

WWF and IUCN have developed an approach
to landscape assessment of forest quality using
indicators to map social and ecological values,
including identifying different elements of
naturalness or authenticity, drawing on the
following: composition, pattern, ecological
functioning, process, resilience, and area (also
see Restoring Quality in Existing Native
Forest Landscapes). Assessment is based on
a seven-stage process: identication of aims,
selection of the landscape, selection of a toolkit
(relevant indicators), collection of information
about each indicator, assessment, presentation
Frontier forest analysis is a World Resources

Institute/Global Forest Watch approach28 that
denes frontier forests as free from substantial
anthropogenic fragmentation (settlements,
roads, clearcuts, pipelines, power lines, mines,
etc.); free from detectable human inuence for
periods that are long enough to ensure that it
is formed by naturally occurring ecological
processes (including res, wind, and pest
species); large enough to be resilient to edge
effects and to survive most natural disturbance
events; containing only naturally seeded indigenous plant species; and supporting viable populations of most native species associated with
the ecosystem.29 It is mainly used at a national
scale.
3.5. Site-Scale Survey Methods

A wide range of survey methods exist including
some that have specically been developed to
facilitate rapid surveys for conservation practitioners, amongst these are the Rapid Ecological Assessment methodology developed by The
Nature Conservancy.30 Increasingly surveys by
outside experts are being augmented by interviews and collaboration with local communities, which often have great understanding of
population levels of key plants and animals;
these sources are usually referred to as traditional ecological knowledge.
4. Future Needs
Despite expertise in survey methods, there is
still much to be learned about accurate ways
27
28
29
26
Jennings et al, 2003.
30
Dudley et al, in press.

Bryant et al, 1997.
Smith et al, 2000.
Sayre et al, 2002.
3. Impact of Forest Loss and Degradation on Biodiversity
of monitoring of both biodiversity and, more

critically, ecological integrity that would allow
proper assessment of restoration outcomes
over time and thus help set realistic goals for
restoration. In general, quick and cost-effective
methods of monitoring the impacts of restoration on biodiversity and ecology are still
required in many ecosystems.
References
Bryant, D., Nielsen, D., and Tangley, L. 1997. The Last
Frontier Forests: Ecosystems and Economies on
the Edge. World Resources Institute, Washington,
DC.
Dudley, N., Schlaepfer, R., Jackson, W., and
Jeanrenaud, J. P. In press. A Manual on Forest
Quality.
ECE and FAO. 2000. Forest Resources of Europe,
CIS, North America, Australia, Japan and New
Zealand. U.N. Regional Economic Commissions
21
for Europe and the Food and Agriculture Organisation, Geneva and Rome.
Jennings, S., Nussbaum, R., Judd, N., et al. 2003. The
High Conservation Value Toolkit. Proforest,
Oxford (three-part document).
Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests
in Europe. 2002. Improved Pan-European Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management: as
adopted by the MCPFE expert level meeting,
October 78, 2002, Vienna, Austria.
Parks Canada. Undated. http://www.pc.gc.ca/progs/
np-pn/eco_integ/index_e.asp.
Sayre, R., et al. 2002. Nature in Focus: Rapid Ecological Assessment. The Nature Conservancy and
the Island Press, Covelo and Washington, DC.
Smith, W., et al. 2000. Canadas Forests at a Crossroads: An Assessment in the Year 2000. Global
Forest Watch, World Resources Institute,
Washington, DC. See also the Global Forest
Watch Web site: http://www.globalforestwatch.org.
Vallauri, D., and Graux, H. 2004. Recrer des forts
tropicales sches en Nouvelle Caldonie. WWF
France, Paris.
4
The Impacts of Degradation and
Forest Loss on Human Well-Being
and Its Social and Political Relevance
for Restoration
Mary Hobley
Forests: the poor mans overcoat (Westoby, 1989).

Forests have an important role to play in alleviating
poverty worldwide in two senses. First, they serve a
vital safety net function, helping rural people avoid
poverty, or helping those who are poor to mitigate
their plight. Second, forests have untapped potential
to actually lift some rural people out of poverty
(Sunderlin et al, 2004).

Poor people rely on forests as a safety net to
avoid or mitigate poverty and sometimes as
a way to lift themselves out of poverty.
It is important to recognise different levels of
poverty and different types of dependence on
forests when trying to understand the likely
social implications of forest restoration.
A series of tools and questions exist that can
help to identify potential benets from
restoration, although these need to be used
with care to avoid overlooking some of the
poorest members of society.
1. Background and
For many millions of people forests and forest
products and services supply both direct and
indirect sources of livelihood, providing a major
22
part of their physical, material, economic, and

spiritual lives31). The World Bank has estimated
that 90 percent of the worlds 1.2 billion poorest
people depend on forests in some way or
another. Forest areas often coincide with areas
of high poverty incidence and livelihood
dependence on forests. They often occur in
remote rural areas with poor infrastructure and
limited access to markets and other basic services; the livelihood options in such areas are
highly circumscribed. The challenge facing
many communities is not just the restoration of
trees in their landscape but the growth of a
political and social landscape that facilitates
their ability to make choices to secure their
livelihoods.
In this section we consider the impacts of
forest loss and degradation on human wellbeing. At the most simple level the rst question must be: impact on whom? This is an
important point because degradation and loss
of resources affects people in different ways. To
explore this question we need to unpick the
concept of well-being and then look at the ways
in which forests and people are intertwined.
The major focus of this section, however, is
on those who are most adversely affected by
changes in forest cover and qualitythe poor,
and in particular those living in forest areas.The
second question to ask is why deforestation and
degradation happen, since understanding the
31
Byron and Arnold, 1997.
4. The Impacts of Degradation and Forest Loss on Human Well-Being
answers to this question provides answers to

whom it impacts on. As part of this process we
need to set out the major concepts and terms
that support this understanding. These are
deforestation and degradation, well-being, livelihoods, people, and impact.
The drivers of forest loss and degradation are
complex and variable, moving from the
extreme of deforestation for other land uses to
more subtle forms of degradation through
multiple overuse, either happening slowly or
more rapidly depending on the pressures
driving change. Who drives the changes in the
forests and who benets from them also helps
to determine the impacts. These are not simple
events and do not have simple causal consequences. For example, one persons loss as a
result of forest degradation may be another
persons gain if for instance opportunities to
farm land are opened up. Timber companies
benet from timber extraction but generally
the capture of benets at the local level is very
weak and the local social and environmental
costs of logging are high.
Following Wunder32 and the U.N. Food and
Agricultural Organisation, deforestation (or
forest loss) is dened as a radical removal of
vegetation to less than 10 percent crown cover.
For local people deforestation can be catastrophic, as in the case of large-scale clearfelling by an outside agency that destroys
resources without offering any alternatives, or
in other cases it can be the planned precursor
to an alternative land use system such as
farming, which in terms of livelihood outcomes
may provide more secure alternatives than that
offered by the forest.
Degradation is taken to mean a loss of forest
structure, productivity, and native species
diversity. A degraded site may still contain trees
or forest but it will have lost its former ecological integrity.33 Degradation is a process of loss
of forest quality that is in practice often part
of the chain of events that eventually leads to
deforestation.
Impact: Impact concerns the long-term and
sustainable changes introduced by a given
intervention in the lives of beneciaries. Impact

can be related either to the specic objectives
of an intervention or to unanticipated changes
caused by an intervention; such unanticipated
changes may also occur in the lives of people
not belonging to the beneciary group. Impact
can be either positive or negative, the latter
being equally important to be aware of.34
Well-being is a concept used to describe all
elements of how individuals experience the
world and their capacities to interact, and
includes the degree of access to material
income or consumption, levels of education and
health, vulnerability and exposure to risk,
opportunity to be heard, and ability to exercise
power, particularly over decisions relating to
securing livelihoods.35 When used in connection
with livelihoods it becomes a powerful concept
for considering the effects of change on all
aspects of the lived experience of an individual.
A useful denition of livelihoods is as
follows: Peoples capacity to generate and
maintain their means of living, enhance their
well-being and that of future generations. These
capacities are contingent upon the availability
and accessibility of options which are ecological, economic, and political and which are
predicated on equity, ownership of resources,
and participatory decision making.36
The individual experience of well-being
varies along a continuum, with ill-being at one
end and well-being at the other, and is not
static; it can vary during an individuals life
cycle. Those classied as extreme poor often
suffer ill-being, particularly expressed through
high degrees of exposure to vulnerability and
risk, whereas those who can be classied as
improving poor generally experience higher
levels of well-being. It is important to be able
to differentiate among peoples vulnerabilities
in order to understand the differential effects
that forest loss and degradation may have.
One of the most important issues to consider
when looking at the effects of a change in
access to or availability of forest products and
services is a households exposure to vulnera34
32
33
Wunder, 2001.
Lamb and Gilmour, 2003: 4.
23
35
36
Blankenberg, 1995.
World Bank, 2001:15.
de Satg, 2002:4.
24
M. Hobley
bility and risk. It is clear that households and

individuals within households experience different levels of vulnerability and exposure to
risk. This is particularly important in the assessment of the effects of forest quality change, as
it has differential impacts within and between
households.
There are two main ways in which forests
impact on livelihoods and reduce vulnerability:
as a safety net helping rural people avoid
poverty and helping those who are poor to
mitigate their poverty;
through their potential to lift some people
out of poverty.
For the sake of understanding the likely
impacts of forest loss or restoration, it is useful
to dene people in terms of their vulnerability
and their relationships with forests and forest
products (see Table 4.1 for examples of impacts
of degradation and deforestation on these
different groups):
Extreme poor with very little or no capability for social mobilisation
Coping poor with little capability for social
mobilisation
Improving poor with some capability for
social mobilisation
This typology helps to underline the importance of understanding the social situation of
households and individuals. Attempts to
address restoration in a social context, without
recognising the differences that degrees of
poverty have on peoples relative vulnerability
and opportunities, most often at best ignore
those in extreme poverty and at worst exacerbate their condition.
Also important in this context are the different relationships that people have with forests
which can usefully be categorised as37:
hunters and gatherers,
shifting cultivators,
farming communities with inputs from the
forest, and
livelihoods based on commercial forest product activities.
37
Poverty is not a uniform experience for these

four types of forest-related people, and neither
is it possible to say, for example, that all shifting cultivators are extremely poor or that all
farming communities are improving poor.
This makes it even more difcult to generalise
about the impacts that forest change will have
on individual livelihoods. Within the same community, dependence on forests and wildlands
will vary, although generally the extremely poor
will be the most dependent on the resources
from natural habitats and the improving poor
will be less dependent. However, those whose
livelihoods are most interlinked with the forest
resource, such as hunter-gatherer groups and
shifting cultivators, are those who are the most
vulnerable to any changes in that resource and
are also the least able to move into other livelihood options.
It should be noted that these are by no means
static categories; they change as the local and
national environment changes. For example,
increasing market penetration has profound
effects on the choices or enforced changes that
people have to make in their livelihood base.
The key point to recognise here is the diversity
of the types of relationships that people have
with forests and therefore the diversity of
impacts that changes in forests and associated
landscapes might have on the livelihoods of
those living in and around them.
1.1. Relationships to the Forest

It is also important to move away from a
broad-brush consideration of communities to
recognition of differences between individual
households and categories of well-being.38
Many people assume that communities have
common interests or, where they are conicting, that disagreements could be resolved by
working with the different interest groups, but
this is not always the case. This becomes
particularly important when considering the
impacts of changes in forest cover and quality
and how this is experienced by different households. For some of the most dependent people,
38
de Satg, 2002.
Reduced access to timber usually

has little impact on this group
because they have little power
to control access to high value
resources; benets of timber
are mostly captured by the
elites often in urban centres
Across all groups the environmental functions of forests are important for maintaining water supplies, inputs to
agricultural productivity through improving soil fertility, and providing the range of biodiversity necessary
to maintain a robust local ecosystem
Degradation of environmental services is again most acutely felt by those
For this group their more diverse
who have no other options
portfolio and higher levels of risktaking capacity means that they are
more resilient to minor changes in
environmental services.
Environmental services
With greater ability to take risk

and invest in some relatively
low-cost technology such as
chain saws, this group can
access some limited benets
from timber harvesting; being
better socially networked, this
group is more likely to be
engaged as timber harvesters
Adapted from work by Brocklesby (2004) and Hobley (2004) differentiating between forms of poverty dependent on vulnerability and capability to have a voice.
This group, as for the extreme poor,

is unlikely to benet in any direct
way from the economic benets
of timber harvesting; although
because of their better social
networks and levels of well-being
they may have more opportunity
to be labourers for timber
contractors
With a more diverse livelihood

portfolio with more assets and
opportunities for diversifying, this
group is not so vulnerable to
changes in forest condition; it is
more able to access alternatives
to the forest products; nonetheless,
its need for the safety net functions
of the forest remains, and without
it these households could become
more vulnerable and less resilient
to shocks
Timber
The importance of this range of

products to the coping poor is
two fold: (1) as a safety net, and
(2) as an income earner
to contributing household
economies; for women, these
are often the only source of
income that they are allowed
to access and so although a
small proportion of overall
household income, they are
of high gender signicance
Diminishing access to foods, fuels,

and medicines make their
livelihoods even more insecure
and more vulnerable to hazards;
in areas of high forest cover this
group in particular is highly forest
resource dependent and most
particularly affected by changes
in access or reduction in quality
of forest; this range of products
needs little or no capital
investment and is therefore
more readily accessible to the
extreme poor
Lose access to safety net functions of

forest resources; may acquire land
under clearance as have better
access to inuence local decision
making
Improving poor
Foods: variety to diets,

palatability, meet
seasonal dietary
shortfalls, snack food,
emergency foods
during ood, famine,
war, etc.
Fuels: rewood, charcoal
growing importance
for urban as well as
rural energy needs
Medicines: range of
traditional plant
medicines essential to
those in remote rural
areas distant from
other medical services
Lose access to safety net functions

of forest resources
May become labourers for others
on converted forest land
Coping poor
Degradation
Lose access to forest resources

Will not obtain land for agriculture
as generally do not have the
power to acquire the land
May be labourers for others but
generally too marginalised
Extreme poor
Conversion of forests to
agriculture
Product
Impacts on people
Deforestation
Process
Table 4.1. Examples of impacts of deforestation and degradation.

25
26
M. Hobley
forest change can be devastating, whereas

for others with a broader livelihood portfolio
that includes only limited dependence on the
forests, changes in forest quality and extent may
only have relatively minor effects. In such cases,
responses to forest restoration will also be
different between individual households in a
community. The importance of a broad-based
and carefully structured participatory process,
linked to social mobilisation and including
attempts to build the capacity of different
social groups to have a voice, cannot be
underestimated.
For some of the poorest rural peoples there
is extreme forest dependence, but for others
who are not so poor (the coping poor), the
use of forests is indirect and more often is a
means of poverty prevention, providing important seasonal safety nets. This latter role is often
transitory as poor people build other assets to
move out of poverty. It is rarely the case that
forests themselves are the means to poverty
reduction. However, what happens to the
forests, their products and services, does have a
profound impact on peoples livelihoods, particularly when this is linked with the effects on
other land uses such as grazing and agriculture.
Risk and uncertainty are universal characteristics of life in rural areas. Sources of risk
include natural hazards like drought and ood,
commodity price uctuations, illness and death,
changing social relationships, unstable governments, and armed conicts. Some risky events
like drought or ood simultaneously affect
many households in a community or region.
Other risky events, like illnesses, are householdspecic and again have differential effects
depending on the overall robustness of a particular household and its livelihood strategies.
Catastrophic forest loss, for example through
re or clear-felling, thus affects whole communities, but the intensity of the effects are not
necessarily uniform.
It is not only total forest loss that leads to
negative impacts on well-being. For example,
loss of particular nontimber forest products
(NTFPs) from a surviving forest can be equally
catastrophic to those households who have
based their livelihoods around the use and sale
of these products. Changes in market condi-
tions, including in particular the recognition of

the value of an NTFP on national and international markets, can disadvantage the very poor
as the elites seize control of valuable natural
resources and dominate market access.
1.2. Implications of Differential

Social Impacts for Forest
Restoration
1.2.1. Guiding Questions for
Restoration
Forests can affect livelihoods in two principal
ways that must be considered when any landscape restoration is under consideration39:
Poverty avoidance or mitigation, that is,
where forest resources serve a safety net
function, or as a gap ller, including as a
source of petty cash
Poverty elimination, that is, where forest
resources help lift a household out of poverty
by functioning as a source of savings, investment, accumulation, asset building, and
permanent increases in wealth and income
When restoration is planned to ameliorate
the impacts of forest changes on the well-being
of target groups a set of questions can help to
guide responses as to the nature and extent of
restoration required.40 The usefulness of such
questions depends to a large extent on the way
in which they are asked. It is important to use
participatory processes that lead to people
being able to inuence decisions about land use
and control the outcomes of these decisions, but
processes must also allow space for the voices
of the extreme poor to be heard as well as those
of the more articulate and much less vulnerable poor and wealthier groups:
What is the frequency or timing of use of forest
products and the extent to which a households labour is allocated to these activities?
What is the role of forest products in household
livelihood systems? What is their importance
as a share of household inputs, and in
39
40
Sunderlin et al, 2004:1.

meeting household livelihood strategy

objectives?
What is the impact of reduced access to forests?
Does the forest serve as a (critical) economic
and ecological buffer for its users, or are
there alternatives, such as trees outside
forests or nonforest/tree sources of needed
inputs and income?
What is the likely future importance of forest
products? Do users face a growing or declining demand for forest products, or the potential for expanded or decreased involvement
in production and trade in forest products?
2. Examples
Undoubtedly forest degradation and loss has
major livelihood and well-being impacts for
many people, from those with secure livelihoods to the extreme poor. It is therefore
particularly important to understand the
differential effects of forest change and the
implications for livelihoods and livelihood
options.
Byron and Arnold41 provide a useful categorisation that aids this understanding and
directs practical intervention. Clearly there is
no general solution that can be applied across
all situations. Any support to forest landscape
restoration must be based on a careful assessment that covers the range of the relationships
between the people and the forests which they
use and/or manage, the current limitations to
their livelihoods, and the potentials and desires
for change. They outline ve generalised (and
potentially overlapping) situations:
1. Forests continue to be central to livelihood
systems. Local people are or should be the principal stakeholders in these forest areas. Meeting
their needs is likely to be the principal objective of forest management and restoration, and
this should be reected in control and tenure
arrangements (also see Land Ownership and
Forest Restoration).
2. Forest products play an important supplementary and safety net role. Users need security
41
27
of access to the resources from which they

source these products, but are often not the
only users in that forest area. Forest management and control is likely to be best based on
resource-sharing arrangements among several
stakeholder groups. Successful restoration
activities need to recognise and be planned
with respect to these roles. Examples across the
world include joint forest management in India
and collaborative management in Ghana,
where the state and local forest users share
both in management decisions and in the benets of forest products, which provide incentives to both partners to manage the forests for
a range of benets. However, in many cases the
state is still reluctant to allow these agreements
to cover high value forests, retaining control
and access to the benets and restricting local
access to the forests and its products.42 Community forestry in the hills of Nepal is widely
cited as a successful example of transfer of
control of management and benets to local
communities; again, however, the government
has demonstrated its reluctance to extend management authority to the high value forests of
the lowlands.
3. Forest products play an important role but
are more effectively supplied from nonforest
sources. Management of a proportion of the
forests needs to be geared towards agro-forest
structures, and control and tenure need to be
consistent with the individual rather than the
collective forms of governance that this shift is
likely to require. Examples of these situations
abound: PASOLAC (Programa para la Agricultura Sostenible en las Laderas de Amrica
Central) in Central America has been working
with communities living in areas of high environmental degradation and insecurity to reduce
their vulnerability to extreme natural events.
This programme supports farmers to identify
their own training requirements, provides
nancial and in-kind compensation for the
management and maintenance of natural
resources and their services and works to
develop the integration of farmers and forest
products into local markets. This integrated
42
Arnold, 2001; Molnar et al, 2004.
28
M. Hobley
approach combining improvements in human

and social capital with advances in locally
adapted resource management techniques and
the creation of nancial instruments43 is an
important combination and an interesting progression away from approaches that have generally limited their support to more technically
based interventions.
4. Participants need help in exploiting opportunities to increase the benets they obtain from
forest product activities. Constraints in the way
of smallholders access to markets need to be
removed. Improved access to credit, skills, marketing services etc., may be required. A good
example of the increasing experience with this
type of support is provided by the PROCYMAF project (Proyecto de Conservacin y
Manejo Sostenible de Recursos Forestales) in
Mexico. It has focussed on strengthening producer organisations and overcoming value
chain gaps.44 This support is packaged with
the supply of business services, which develop
the skills of producer organisation leaders and
members. A range of other programmes across
the world are focussing on the better harvesting and marketing of a wide variety of NTFPs
through understanding value chains and developing producer skills at entering markets in a
more informed and secure environment.
5. Participants need help in moving out of
dead-end forest product activities. An important
example of this is rewood collection for sale
in the market, often conducted by women who
say they would rather be employed in other
easier activities that are not so physically
burdensome and poorly paid. It is often an
activity of last resort and does not lead to
opportunity to move out of these poverty conning conditions.
3. Outline of Tools
Baseline assessment: To build understanding of
peoples livelihoods and well-being, exposure
to risk, and vulnerability, there are a range of
tools that have been gathered under the
43
44
IISD et al, 2003.

Scherr et al, 2003.
umbrella of livelihoods analysis. These include

survey methodologies and participatory
appraisal approaches and are discussed in
other chapters in this book. A useful guide to
the range of tools and their applications can be
found on Web sites including www.livelihoods.org. With this baseline assessment, it is
then possible to begin to work with local people
to identify different approaches to support
their relationships with forests and forest products. It can be used as the basis for implementation and for later evaluation to assess the
degree of change in exposure to risk and reduction in vulnerability as a result of livelihood
interventions.
Tools for engagement: Voice, as has
already been discussed, is an essential
element of changing relationships and shifting
power. Building poor peoples capabilities
to be able to inuence decisions and policy
is a key part of any restoration effort.
Participatory tools and social mobilisation
approaches are all used to build peoples capabilities, but often voice is most strongly developed as poor peoples livelihoods become more
secure.
Community-based
cost-benet
analysis:
For communities, changing their use of
forests and forest lands depends very much
on individual and collective cost-benet
analyses. Communities are likely to be prepared to manage forests only if they offer
greater benet than under other uses of
the land on which the forests grow. Such
analyses are an essential part of any landscape
restoration initiative because unless these
costs and benets are understood and factored
into the process, initiatives will fail where
perceived costs of maintaining the forest
outweigh the tentative benets. This is where
ecosystem service payment schemes become an
important part of the analysis and where it will
be important to change local incentives and
attitudes toward forests.45 Additionally, focus
on market access is critical where poor access
and low values for forest products act as major
barriers and disincentives.
45
Arnold, 2001.
Facilitating access to green markets: Providing

mechanisms and funds that allow local people
to access markets for ecosystem services such
as watershed protection, biodiversity protection, etc., is another important element of
changing the relationship between peoples
livelihoods and the forest resource. Forest certication can also be used to help forest managers to access higher value markets. There are
some successful experiences with communitybased certication in Latin America,46 although
the certication costs are often very high for
small community groups and much more still
needs to be done to provide standards that
facilitate access of community managed natural
timber into the green markets.
Securing tenure and management rights:
Clearly tenure or at least long-term management rights are important elements in any
forest restoration effort. There are now many
models of communities that own forests with
evidence of the incentives this creates for wise
management. Tenure is often highly contested
and requires careful work with governments to
build an environment in which it is possible to
shift tenure patterns. Often this requires signicant evidence that changing tenure arrangements does lead to fundamental environmental
and social benets.
4. Future Needs
In any process of restoration, and perhaps particularly restoration projects driven by conservation concerns, some key messages need to be
incorporated into the planning and implementation of any programme:
Recognition of the differential importance of
forests, products, and services on different
people and therefore the differential impacts
of changes in forest quality and extent;
Recognition of the role of forests in poverty
prevention as well as poverty reduction;
The need to involve people in the decisionmaking process to build voice and capacity to
articulate voice in an institutional and politi46
Molnar et al, 2004.
29
cal environment that is able to respond to

these voices;
Recognition of the need to support the building of livelihoods that reduce peoples exposure to risk and remove vulnerabilities;
Recognition that forests alone do not necessarily move people out of poverty but actually can secure them in poverty;
Support to decentralised service provision
that can be socially responsive and tailored
to particular ecological and economic
conditions47;
Impacts of restoration also need to be
carefully considered. Just as the impacts of
degradation are not equally felt across livelihood groups, it is the case with restoration.
Restoration of forest cover for some may
have negative livelihood implications. Often
the beneciaries of restoration are not those
living locally to the forest but are downstream users of services, therefore, the distribution of costs and benets of restoration
need to be carefully considered.
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20002001. World Bank, Washington.
Wunder, S. 2001. Poverty alleviation and tropical
forestswhat scope for synergies? World Development 29(11):18171833.
Additional Reading
Forestry Research Programme (FRP). 2004. Community forestry gets the credit. Forestry Research
Programme Research Summary 006, FRP,
Kent.
5
Restoring Forest Landscapes in the
Face of Climate Change
Jennifer Biringer and Lara J. Hansen

Climate change increases the need for
restoration, both to help forest systems to
manage existing changes and to buffer them
against likely changes in the future by
increasing areas of natural, healthy forest
systems.
Care needs to be taken to avoid oversimplistic reliance on forests for carbon sequestration, and attempts at restoration to
increase carbon storage must be assessed
carefully to judge their true worth.
Tools such as vulnerability analyses can help
to design effective restoration strategies,
which are likely to include reduction of
fragmentation, increasing
connectivity,
development of effective buffer zones, and
maintenance of genetic diversity.
1. Background and
Climate change is arguably the greatest contemporary threat to biodiversity. It is already
affecting ecosystems of all kinds and these
impacts are expected to become more dramatic as the climate continues to change due to
anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions into
the atmosphere, mostly from fossil fuel combustion. While restoration is made more dif-
cult by climate change, it can conversely be seen

as a possible adaptive management approach
for enhancing the resilience of ecosystems to
these changes.
Climate change will result in added physical
and biological stresses to forest ecosystems,
including drought, heat, increased evapotranspiration, altered seasonality of hydrology,
pests, disease, and competition; the strength and
type of effect will depend on the location. Such
stresses will compound existing nonclimatic
threats to forest biodiversity, including overharvesting, invasive species, pollution, and land conversion. This will result in forest ecosystems
changing in composition and location. Therefore, in order to increase the potential for
success, it will be necessary to consider these
changes when designing restoration projects.
On the other hand, restoration projects can
also be viewed as a key aspect of enhancing
ecosystem resilience to climate change. Human
development has resulted in habitat loss, fragmentation, and degradation. A rst step in
increasing resilience to the effects of climate
change is enhancing or protecting the ecosystems natural ability to respond to stress and
change. Research suggests that this is best
achieved with healthy and intact systems as a
starting point, which can draw on their own
internal diversity to have natural adaptation or
acclimation potential,48 and therefore greater
resilience. Any restoration activities that
enhance the ecological health of a system can
48
Kumaraguru and Beamish, 1981; McLusky et al, 1986.
31
32
J. Biringer and L.J. Hansen
thus be seen as creating or increasing the potential buffering capacity against negative impacts
of climate change. It should be mentioned that
there are obvious limits to the rate and extent
of change that even a robust system can tolerate. As a result it is only prudent to conduct
restoration for enhancing resilience in tandem
with efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the root cause of climate change.
For many with a forestry background, carbon
dioxide sequestration might seem a concomitant advantage to restoration projects, which
can aid in reduction of atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases. While forests do hold
carbon, and their loss does release carbon, their
long-term capacity to act as a reliable sink in
the face of climate change, especially for effective mitigation, is not a foolproof strategy (for
more on carbon sequestration projects, see
Carbon Knowledge Projects and Forest Landscape Restoration). Where restoration is promoted with a focus on capturing carbon, an
analysis of climate change impacts should be
integrated into project planning to determine
whether there really are net sequestration
benets. Increased incidence of forest res
as a result of warming and drying trends, for
example, could outweigh any efforts to reduce
carbon emissions. Case studies of successful
resilience-building efforts are not yet plentiful,
due to relatively recent revelations about
the scale and impact that climate change will
have on ecosystems. However, the global temperature has risen 0.7C as atmospheric concentrations have risen49 and extinctions and
large-scale ecosystem changes are expected. A
number of forest types are already being negatively impacted, including tropical montane
cloud forests, dry forests, and forests in the
boreal zone, and climate-related extinctions are
already thought to have occurred, for example
amongst amphibians. Along the coasts, the
rising sea level is increasing the vulnerability of
mangroves. Restoration as a means to ensure
healthy ecosystem structure and function will
have a large part to play in adapting ecosystems
to these broad-scale changes. See Box 5.1 for
more in-depth exploration of these topics.
49
Hansen et al, 2003.
2. Example: Mangrove
Restoration as an Adaptive
Management Strategy
Mangroves provide a concrete example of how
restoration can be used as a tool to help
enhance resistance and resilience to climate
change. Mangroves are clearly vulnerable to
rising sea levels, which will change sediment
dynamics, cause erosion, and change salinity
levels. The rate of sediment buildup, which is
the backbone of mangrove survival, is expected
to take place at only half the pace of sea-level
rise in many places, and mangrove survival will
therefore require active restoration. Another
aspect of mangroves that makes them an ideal
testing ground for restoration is their relative
ecological simplicity. Furthermore, the relationship between human and ecological vulnerability to climate change is relatively clear.
Low-lying coastal areas, particularly those in
tropical Africa, South Asia, and the South
Pacic, are predicted to experience among the
most severe consequences of global climate
change.50 As these are among the most populous areas across the globe, the livelihoods
of many coastal communities that depend on
mangrove resources for wood and shrimp
farming, will be increasingly tied to their vulnerability to climate change.
Mangrove restoration can do much to limit
or delay the negative effects of climate change
on associated human and natural communities.
Mangroves play an integral role in coastal
ecosystems as the interface among terrestrial,
freshwater, and marine systems.They are extensively developed on sedimentary shorelines
such as deltas, where sediment supply determines their ability to keep up with sea-level
rise. They afford protection from dynamic
marine processes to both terrestrial and estuarine systems, preventing erosion and chaotic
mixing. They also act locally to lter water.
Mangrove forests protect sea grass beds and
coral reefs from deposition of suspended
matter that is transported seaward by rivers and
50
IPCC, 2001.
5. Restoring Forest Landscapes in the Face of Climate Change
Box 5.1. Framework for Understanding Intersection of Resilience-Building and Forest

Restoration and Protection
1. Protection: For some forests protection

alone will not increase resilience to climate
change. Many tropical montane cloud forests
provide a case in point. Australias Wet
Tropics World Heritage Area is expected to
experience a 50% reduction in habitat with
warming of 1 degree Celsius, which will leave
amphibians and other cool-adapted species
no upland migration options as conditions
become warmer and drier.
2. Sequestration via restoration: Many
examples exist where the planting of trees
stores carbon but is not coordinated with
conservation or resilience-raising advantages. Nonnative trees, such as Eucalyptus,
are often planted solely for the carbon
benet, though the planting may cause
degradation of the landscape, and thus not
provide a buffer against climate change.
3. Resilience/adaptation: Restoration is
but one of the many types of management
options that increase resilience. For example,
actions that respond to changing dynamics
such as insect infestations and changing re
patterns are aspects of good forestry that will
receive special attention with the advent of
climate change. Activities that increase the
efciency of resource use will also increase
resilience. In Cameroon, mangroves are
being aided by increasing the efciency of

wood-burning stoves so that 75 percent less
mangrove wood is needed for cooking,
thereby increasing the resilience of the
system by reducing harvest levels. Such
actions decrease degradation of the mangrove and raise the probability that it will be
equipped to respond to the effects of climate
change.
4. Sequestration and resilience/adaptation: Restoration and resilience go hand in
hand when the impacts of climate change
are taken into account in project planning.
Whether passive or active restoration, activities target those areas that will be more suitable to climate change, and encourage use of
species that will be hardier under new climatic conditions (successful seed dispersers,
for example).
5. Intersection of protection, sequestration, and resilience/adaptation: Creating
buffer zones through restoration can
increase the resilience of protected areas to
the impacts of climate change while at the
same time sequestering carbon. This scenario is similar to the one above, except that
restoration is focussed on increasing the
resilience of protected areas by expanding
boundaries to increase suitable habitat
under changing climatic conditions.
6. Protection and adaptation: Protection
can lead to increased resilience to the
impacts of climate change, where suitable
habitat is intact, and the expansion of boundaries is possible to accommodate species
needs with a changing climate. A successful
protected area system includes identication
and conservation of mature forest stands,
functional groups and keystone species, and
climate refugia.
33
34
provide nursery habitat for many sh species.

Deteriorating water quality and coastal degradation are anticipated to be magnied by
climate change. Globally, however, many mangrove systems have already been degraded and
destroyed. Loss of these buffering systems precludes any protection they might afford. This
has been recognised for some time, and many
individual projects have attempted to rebuild
mangrove systems. However, in the past, the
emphasis of mangrove restoration projects has
been on planting trees, and this has led to poor
survival rates, such as in West Bengal, India,
where survival rates in some projects were
reported as low as less than 2 percent.51
New approaches are therefore required. In
addition, simply restoring a mangrove where it
has been degraded will not necessarily be
enough in the face of climate change. Restoration in an environment where the climate is
rapidly changing will require taking into
account a few additional elements as opposed
to restoration in a stable context. Before starting a restoration programme, two additional
steps are required: (1) assess the cause of mangrove loss and evaluate how to remove those
causes if possible; and (2) take into account the
added complexity relating to how climate
change will affect the system: in this case primarily through sea-level rise.
A large-scale mangrove restoration effort in
Vietnam has demonstrated that this approach
to mangrove management can benet local
resource users and enhance protection from
storm surge and sea-level rise.52 The restoration
project in this region has planted more than
18,000 hectares of mangrove along 100 kilometres of coastline. In addition to creating a more
stable coastline capable of surviving changing marine conditions, harvestable marine resources are also increasing in number.
Understanding the hydrology (both frequency and duration of tidal ooding) is the
single most important factor in designing successful mangrove restoration projects.53 Incorporating projections of sea-level rise into
51
52
53
Sanyal, 1998.
Tri et al, 1998.
Lewis and Streever, 2000.
project design will be necessary so that mangroves are planted or are allowed to colonise
naturally or regenerate (this takes 15 to 30
years where stresses leading to degradation are
no longer present) in areas that will be more
hospitable in the future. If the shoreline is
moving, for instance, mangroves may need to
be restored some distance from their original
location.
3. Outline of Tools
This section offers a framework for integrating
knowledge about climate change to forest managers who are considering restoration. It is
based on an understanding of how adaptation
(in this case to climate change) needs to be integrated with both restoration and protection, as
outlined in Box 5.1 above.
3.1 Vulnerability Analysis

To understand how climate change will affect
an existing forest system, an analysis of the vulnerability of the dened area can be undertaken. As a rst stop, climate change impacts on
the major forest types are presented in WWFs
Buying Time: A Users Manual for Building
Resistance and Resilience to Climate Change in
Natural Systems,54 with examples from many
different regions collected from the literature.
For more specic information on a particular
site, a literature search may identify whether a
vulnerability analysis has been made of the
project area in question.
If limited information on climate change
impacts exists for the selected site, a vulnerability analysis can be commissioned to feed into
project design activities. An expert conversant
in climate change science as well as biological
science for the region can piece together a
picture of regional vulnerability that will help
to guide project activities so that they can take
account of likely alterations in environmental
conditions as the climate changes. At a large
54
Hansen et al, 2003 (available on www.panda.org).
scale, major shifts in biome types can be projected by combining biogeography models such
as the Holdridge Life Zone Classication
Model with general circulation models (GCMs)
that project changes under a doubled CO2 scenario. Biogeochemistry models simulate the
gain, loss, and internal cycling of carbon, nutrients, and water-impact of changes in temperature, precipitation, soil moisture, and other
climatic factors that give clues to ecosystem productivity. Dynamic global vegetation
models integrate biogeochemical processes
with dynamic changes in vegetation composition and distribution. Studies on particular
species comparing present trends with paleoecological data also provide indications for how
species will adapt to climate change.55
A vulnerability analysis can help to assess
what systems or aspects of the systems have
greater resilience and resistance to climate
change impacts. This type of information can
help to identify sites that have greater longterm potential as ecosystem refugia from
climate change impacts. Some refugia exist due
to their unique situational characteristics, but
their resilience could be enhanced by management and restoration.
3.2 Restoration as a Resilience/

Adaptation Strategy
After completing a vulnerability analysis to
determine how a forest system may be impacted by changing climatic conditions, the next
step is to look at the range of adaptation
options available in order to promote resilience. An effective vulnerability analysis will
determine which components of the system
species or functions, for examplewill be most
vulnerable to change, together with consideration of which parts of the system are crucial for
ecosystem health. An array of options pertinent
to adapting forests to climate change are available, both to apply to forest communities at
high risk from climate change impacts as well
as for those whose protection should be prioritised given existing resilience. Long-term
resilience of species will be enabled where

natural adaptation processes such as migration,
selection, and change in structure are allowed
to take place due to sufcient connectivity and
habitat size within the landscape.
Restoration can provide a series of critical
interventions to reduce climate change impacts.56 Basic tenets of restoration for adaptation include working on a larger scale to
increase the amount of available options for
ecosystems, inclusion of corridors for connectivity between sites, inclusion of buffers, and
provision of heterogeneity within the restoration approach. Key approaches are as follows:
Reduce fragmentation and provide connectivity:
Noss57 provides an overview of the negative
effects of ecosystem fragmentation, which
are abundantly documented worldwide.
Edge effects threaten the microclimate and
stability of a forest as the ratio of edge to
interior habitat increases. Eventually, the
ability of a forest to withstand debilitating
impacts is broken. Fragmentation of forest
ecosystems also contributes to a loss of biodiversity as exotic, weedy species with high
dispersal capacities are favoured and many
native species are inhibited by isolation.
Restoration strategies should therefore often
focus rst on those areas where intervention
can connect existing forest fragments into a
more coherent whole.
Provide buffer zones and exibility of land uses:
The xed boundaries of protected areas are
not well suited to a dynamic environment
unless individual areas are extremely large.
With changing climate, buffer zones might
provide suitable conditions for species if conditions inside reserves become unsuitable.58
Buffer zones increase the patch size of the
interior of the protected area and overlapping buffers provide migratory possibilities for some species.59 Buffer zones should
ideally be large, and managers of protected
areas and surrounding lands must demonstrate considerable exibility by adjusting
56
57
58
55
Hansen et al, 2001.
35
59
Biringer, 2003; Noss, 2001.

Noss, 2000.
Noss, 2000.
Sekula, 2000.
36
land management activities across the landscape in response to changing habitat suitability. A specic case for a buffer zone
surrounding tropical montane cloud forests
can be made based on research that shows
that the upwind effects to deforestation of
lowland forests causes the cloud base to
rise.60 Restoring forest around protected
areas, for example to supply timber through
continuous cover forestry, or for nontimber
forest products, watershed protection, or as
recreational areas, could help maintain the
quality of the protected area in the face of
climate change.
Maintain genetic diversity and promote ecosystem health via restoration: Adaptation to
climate change via selection of resilient species depends on genetic variation. Efforts to
maintain genetic diversity should be applied,
particularly in degraded landscapes or within
populations of commercially important trees
(where genetic diversity is often low due to
selective harvesting). In such places where
genetic diversity has been reduced, restoration, especially using seed sources from lower
elevations or latitudes, can play a vital role in
maintaining ecosystem resilience.61 Hogg and
Schwarz62 suggest that assisted regeneration
could be used in southern boreal forests in
Canada where drier conditions may decrease
natural regeneration of conifer species. Similarly, genotypes of beach pine forests in
British Columbia may need assistance in
redistributing across the landscape in order
to maintain long-term productivity.63 In addition, species that are known to be more
resilient to impacts in a given landscape can
be specically selected for replanting. For
example, trees with thick bark can be planted
in areas prone to re to increase tree survival
during increased frequency and severity of
res.64
60
61
62
63
64
Lawton et al, 2001.

Noss, 2000.
Hogg and Schwarz, 1997.
Rehfeldt et al, 1999.
Dale et al, 2001.
4. Future Needs
Documentation of the role restoration plays in
building resilience to climate change is in its
infancy. Although eld projects are beginning
to test restoration as a resilience-building tool,
we are far from denitive guidance. Unfortunately, this is the nature of the practice of conservation; decisions based on best knowledge
need to be made now while we continue to
gather more information. Otherwise, opportunities will be lost.
To meet these needs we propose additional
eld projects to test, conrm, and develop
restorations role in building resilience to
climate change. This needs to be conducted
across different forest types with as much replication as possible. A strong monitoring component is necessary for any such project,
especially given the complex relationships
between species structure, composition, and
functioning on which climate change is unfolding. The results of monitoring will also enable
lessons to be drawn from resilience-building
efforts, and to compare these with similar
control landscapes or other resiliencebuilding projects in different regions with
similar habitat type.
Ideally, resilience-building management
strategies will serve as another layer in a comprehensive forest management plan that has as
its objective the overall health of the forest
ecosystem. For example, many WWF ecoregional visions are adding vulnerability to
climate change as another component that
will drive conservation decisions. Such anticipatory resilience-building plans take climate
change into account during the planning
process, and will better ensure synergies with
other management priorities. A number of scientic, governmental institutions and nongovernmental organisations (NGO) are
acquiring expertise in the area of climate
change impacts and adaptation/resilience. It
will be fruitful to seek partnerships with these
institutions at the beginning of any restoration
project to analyse climate impacts and proposed restoration activities.
References
Biringer, J. 2003. Forest ecosystems threatened
by climate change: promoting long-term forest
resilience. In: Hansen, L.J., Biringer, J.L., and
Hoffman, J.R. eds. Buying Time: A Users Manual
for Building Resistance and Resilience to Climate
Change in Natural Systems. WWF, Washington, pp.
4169. (Also online at www.panda.org/climate/
pa_manual)
Dale, V., Joynce, L., McNurlty, S., et al. 2001. Climate
change and forest disturbances. Bioscience 51(9):
723734.
Hansen, A., Neilson, R., Dale, V., et al. 2001. Global
change in forests: responses of species, communities, and Biomes. Bioscience 51(9):765779.
Hansen, L.J., Biringer, J.L., and Hoffman, J.R. eds.
2003. Buying Time: A Users Manual for Building
Resistance and Resilience to Climate Change
in Natural Systems. WWF, Washington, 242
pages. (Also online at www.panda.org/climate/pa_
manual.)
Hogg, E., and Schwarz, A. 1997. Regeneration of
planted conifers across climatic moisture gradients
on the Canadian prairies: implications for distribution and climate change. Journal of Biogeography 24:527534.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC). 2001. Impacts, Adaptations and Vulnerability.Working Group II,Third Assessment Report.
Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 1032
pages.
Kumaraguru A.K., and Beamish, F.W.H. 1981. Lethal
toxicity of permethrin (NRDC 143) to rainbow
trout, Salmo gairdneri, in relation to body weight
and water temperature. Water Research 15:503
505.
Lawton, R., Nair, U., Pielke, R., and Welch, R. 2001.
Climate impact of tropical lowland deforestation
on nearby montane cloud forests. Science 294
(5542):584587.
Lewis, R., and Streever, B. 2000. Restoration of mangrove habitat. WRP Technical Notes Collection
37
(ERDC TN-WRP-VN-RS-3.2), U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, MS. www.wes.army.mil/el/wrp.
McLusky, D.S., Bryant, V., and Campbell, R. 1986.
The effects of temperature and salinity on the toxicity of heavy metals to the marine and estuarine
invertebrates. Oceanography and Marine Biology
Annual Review 24:481520.
Noss, 2000. Managing forests for resistance and
resilience to climate change: a report to World
Wildlife Fund U.S., 53 pages.
Noss, R. 2001. Beyond Kyoto: forest management in
a time of rapid climate change. Conservation
Biology 15(3):578590.
Rehfeldt G., Ying, C., Spittlehouse D., and Hamilton,
D., Jr. 1999. Genetic response to climate in Pinus
contorta: niche breadth, climate change and reforestation. Ecological Monographs 69(3):375407.
Sanyal, P. 1998. Rehabilitation of degraded mangrove forests of the Sunderbans of India. Programme of the International Workshop on the
Rehabilitation of Degraded Coastal Systems.
Phuket Marine Biological Center, Phuket, Thailand, January 1924, p. 25.
Sekula, J. 2000. Circumpolar boreal forests and
climate change: impacts and managerial responses.
An unpublished discussion paper prepared jointly
by the IUCN Temperate and Boreal Forest Programme and the IUCN Global Initiative on
Climate Change.
Tri, N.H., Adger, W.N., and Kelly, P.M. 1998. Natural
resource management in mitigating climate
impacts: the example of mangrove restoration in
Vietnam. Global Environmental Change 8(1):
4961.
Additional Reading
Krankina, O., Dixon, R., Kirilenko, A., and Kobak, K.
1997. Global climate change adaptation: examples
from Russian boreal forests. Climatic Change
36(12):197215.
Section III
Forest Restoration in Modern
Broad-Scale Conservation
6
Restoration as a Strategy to
Contribute to Ecoregion Visions
John Morrison, Jeff Sayer, and Colby Loucks

Ecoregion conservation is a large-scale, longterm, and exible concept whose purpose
is to meet the four goals of biodiversity
conservation: representation, maintenance
of evolutionary processes, maintenance of
viable populations, and resilience.
In degraded landscapes and ecoregions restoration goals and strategies will be critical
to the success of an ecoregion vision.
But as restoration can be energy intensive,
its role must be dened in the context of
quantiable goals related to the four larger
goals of biodiversity conservation.
1. Background and
Most people are aware of the global reduction
in forest cover as a result of ever-increasing
human domination of the planet. The impacts
are felt on biodiversity and on people as shown
in the previous chapters of this book. A natural
reaction to this forest loss is to engage in forest
restoration activities.
Across the planet, conservationists are
working to increase overall forest coverage
using a variety of strategies. In some cases this
includes attempting to intensify agriculture

so that it requires less land, focussing on value
over volume in wood products, and concentrating production in (native) plantation forests.
Another strategy is to de-intensify agricultural
uses and promote a mosaic of natural and
anthropogenic elements, allowing native
species and communities to ll in around our
use of the landscape, and provide necessary
ecosystem services to operate more freely.
In any case, the competition for land among
a range of interests and stakeholders necessitates that all forest conservation activities,
including forest restoration, be strategic and for
a specic purpose(s), be it conservation or otherwise. This strategic focus should ideally be
identied through a participatory process that
leads to a long-term vision for the desired
future state of the area. Increasing the quality
and quantity of forest cover is an important
general goal for conservation, both for ecosystem services (watershed protection, climate
regulation, etc.) and for the needs of those
species that depend on forests. However, due
to the intense competition for land between
the forces of development and conservation,
efciency in how and where forest restoration occurs is critical. In other words, while
increased tree cover will nearly always be benecial from a conservation perspective, if possible, restoration efforts should be focussed in
such a way that multiple conservation and
social goals are reached (also see sections
Restoring Ecological Functions and Restoring Socioeconomic Values). Meeting both
41
42
J. Morrison et al
Because these conservation goals often

operate over large spatial and temporal scales,
the design of conservation programmes
requires a perspective that spans nations and
centuries.66 Large-scale conservation initiatives have become standard in a number of conservation organisations over the last decade.
This evolution is seen as a reaction to the often
disjointed, isolated, and nonstrategic activities
that once characterised site-level conservation.
While site-level conservation will always be
an important and, many would argue, the most
important scale of conservation intervention,
site-level activities can be planned in the
context of larger scale (landscape and ecoregion) visions. The thinking behind using large
biogeographic units as the framework in which
to achieve conservation goals is that natural
communities, species, and even human threats
to biodiversity move and operate at large
scales, often irrespective of political boundaries.
Actions conceived at the same scale as the ecological entities and processes that the actions
are trying to protect should be more robust and
efcient than uncoordinated efforts at a site
scale. At WWF, the global conservation organisation, this evolution has taken the form of
Ecoregional Conservation (ERC). Ecoregion
conservation is really a philosophy that
espouses using large, biogeographically dened
units as an arena within which to achieve the
four goals of conservation outlined above. The
actual process of ecoregion conservation planning has followed a number of paths, generally
relying on experts, computer algorithms, or
even a mixture of the two to identify conservation priorities.
A range of spatial scales has been addressed
to date, under the heading of ecoregion conservation. A system of ecoregional boundaries
of the world has been stitched together by
WWF.67 This system is also used by the Nature
Conservancy. Conservation effort is not applied
equally across this system. WWF has dened
825 terrestrial ecoregions (Fig. 6.1), of which a
large proportion is forest ecoregions of various
subtypes (tropical dry, tropical moist, temperate moist, etc.). A further analysis by WWF
identied 237 groupings of these terrestrial
ecoregions as being of particular importance
to conservation and named these the Global
200 Ecoregionsit is usually these Global 200
ecoregions that are the focus of WWF Ecoregion Action Programmes.68 In the process of
analysing ecoregions, priority areas or priority landscapes are often identied that become
the subject of further conservation planning
and initiatives. Thus the general hierarchical
spatial scale, from largest to smallest, is Global
200 ecoregion, terrestrial ecoregion, and priority landscapebut this is not a steadfast rule,
65
67
conservation and social goals simultaneously

maximises the chances that the activities will
be sustainable and that they will have local
support. An example of this integration is provided by the activities in the Upper Paran
Atlantic Forest. Within this ecoregion forest
patch connectivity is being improved through
the incorporation of native plants that can also
be sustainably used by local people (see case
study Finding Economically Sustainable
Means of Preserving and Restoring the Atlantic
Forest in Argentina).
What are the primary conservation goals that
we should be trying to achieve?
1.1. The Four Goals of Biodiversity

Conservation and Ecoregion
Conservation65
The goals of biodiversity conservation and ecoregion conservation are as follows:
1. Representation of all distinct natural communities within conservation landscapes and
protected areas networks
2. Maintenance of ecological and evolutionary processes that create and sustain
biodiversity
3. Maintenance of viable populations of
species
4. Conservation of blocks of natural habitat
large enough to be resilient to large-scale
disturbances and long-term changes
66
Noss, 1992.
Scott et al, 1999.
68
Olson et al, 2001.

Olson and Dinerstein, 1998.
Figure 6.1. Terrestrial ecoregions of the world. (Source: WWF.)
6. Restoration as a Strategy to Contribute to Ecoregion Visions
43
44
J. Morrison et al
and there are very small ecoregions (tens of

km2) and very large priority landscapes (thousands of km2). Most of the principles discussed
below hold for a range of scales, from the landscape to the ecoregion.
1.2. Protect, Manage, and Restore

More than likely, any comprehensive conservation strategy in an ecoregion will involve a
combination of protection, management, and
restoration, plus the abatement/amelioration of
threats. The relative proportion of each strategy
that is appropriate is a function of both the
overall conservation status of the ecoregion,
and the location in the ecoregionand this will
change over time. For example, restoration is
not necessarily an appropriate strategy in all
ecoregions or landscapes. One can imagine that
restoration may not currently be the highest priority in those ecoregions that are composed
mostly of wilderness or large forest blocks, such
as in the Amazon. A primary output of many
ecoregional visions is a map of priority areas,
where conservation activities are more focussed
than in the surrounding matrix of the ecoregion.
Yet even in the matrix, some proportion of protection, management, and restoration activities
will be appropriate, and in the case of the
wilderness ecoregions mentioned above, over
the long-term, restoration may rise in priority in
those ecoregions as more comprehensive protection and better management are instituted.
From a conservation standpoint, the decisions about how much protection, management, and restoration will be a natural
consequence of attempting to achieve the
above four conservation goals in a strategic
fashion in an ecoregion or a landscape within
that ecoregion. Is there enough of a given target
habitat present in the ecoregion or landscape
to meet representation objectives that we can
simply protect a (greater) proportion of it? Or
will some areas containing that habitat need
active or passive restoration in order to meet
the prescribed target for that habitat? Can
existing multiuse buffer zones of forest simply
be managed in their current state to provide
landscape connectivity, or will some areas need
to be rehabilitated to restore connectivity?
Forest restoration activities range from

active planting, to management (e.g., invasive
species removal), to more passive restoration
(creating the conditions that will allow natural
processes to regenerate high-quality forest).
Because active restoration is so resource intensive, it should generally be the last option
selected to meet a conservation objective. The
key point is that from a conservation perspective restoration activities should not be undertaken for the sake of restoration; rather, the
activity should be a strategic response to a specic need identied during the formation of
conservation goals. The Forests of the Lower
Mekong ecoregion has endeavoured to nd the
right balance of protection, management, and
restorationall stemming from the conservation goals highlighted during the ecoregional
vision process.
2. Examples: Restoration and

the Four Conservation
Goals
Conceptually, it is a relatively simple matter to
decide whether restoration is necessary or not.
By selecting conservation targets that are applicable to the aforementioned four goals of
conservation, it should quickly become clear
whether or not the relevant ecoregion or priority landscape still contains the necessary components to satisfy all four goals. If there are
elements missing or the ecoregion/landscape is
too fragmented, some restoration is probably
necessary. At the basic level of the four conservation goals, the following discussion illustrates
how the need for restoration can be identied.
2.1. Representation
Conservationists need to represent all natural
communities in some sort of a conservation
network, which is generally a mix of different
levels of protection. It is important that the mix
of natural communities is one that has existed
before a major disturbance rather than the
existing mix. But all of these original communities may no longer be present in the quantity
and quality necessary, and that is where the

potential application of restoration comes in.
This is especially true during periods of climate
change when species will need to move in
response to changing conditions.
One of the rst steps in any conservation planning initiative is to obtain or develop a map of
historic (sometimes called potential) natural
community types across the entire ecoregion/
priority landscape. A number of coverages may
sufce for this purpose, including historic vegetation maps, potential vegetation maps, or maps
of plant communities or ecosystems. In the case
where land conversion has made this task
impossible, maps of environmental domains,
which are unique combinations of substrate
(soils or geology), elevation, and climate classications, may be developed. If these environmental domains are carefully developed, they
should represent unique environmental classes
that correlate with the species living in them.
It is common practice for a target level of
representation to be chosen for each natural
community type (or environmental domain).
This is not always easy, but endeavouring to
determine what these levels should be (preferably on an individual habitat-by-habitat basis
rather than a blanket prescription) is one of the
highest callings of a conservation biologist. It
is altogether appropriate to begin with coarse
estimates that can be improved over time.
Custom representation targets are preferable
to blanket prescriptions. Once an appropriate
level of representation of each historic natural
community is decided (20 percent, 30 percent,
50 percent, etc.), it may be discovered that less
intact habitat of a particular type(s) remains
than the target representation amount. This is a
sign that some restoration is in order. Madagascar and the dry forests of New Caledonia
are prime examplesforest conversion has
proceeded so far in these ecoregions that forest
restoration is required to meet the most basic
habitat representation goals.
It should also be noted that each natural
community is itself made up of seral stages, and
the appropriate mix of seral stages, or more
likely the allowable ranges of seral stages, corresponding to a natural range of variation, must
be specied. The ability of a natural community
45
type to support a natural range of seral stages

must be protected, or if necessary enhanced,
and this may also require some forest restoration activities. An example is the relative lack
of primary, or old-growth forest, in many temperate forest ecoregions compared to historic
levels. Efforts to increase the proportion of late
seral stages are an appropriate application of
forest restoration in this case.
Many ecoregional programmes, especially
those in developed or densely populated countries, have found that the amount of lowland
and riparian communities are in short supply
they have already been converted for human
uses. Clearly in such situations, restoration will
necessarily be an important component of the
overall conservation strategy if representation
targets are to be met.
2.2. Viable Populations

The idea behind this goal is that all species
should have conserved viable populations, but
in practice it is never possible to plan for all
species (if for no other reason than that all
species are never really identied). During any
large-scale conservation initiative, therefore,
focal species are selected for special attention.
Focal species are chosen because they are keystone, highly threatened endemics, habitat
specialists, or because they are very areasensitive and act as umbrellas for a number of
species with smaller area requirements. The
number of focal species chosen will vary from
ecoregion to ecoregion, and certainly from priority landscape to priority landscape, but is generally a manageable number of ve to 20
species from the above categories.
After determining what the list of focal
species is, the next step is to determine the
number of breeding individuals that represent a
viable population, or potentially a viable subpopulation in the case of a priority landscape.
This is not a trivial determination, and there is
an extensive literature discussing rules of thumb
for the number of breeding individuals that
constitutes a viable populationwith little
consensus. In some cases a species-specic and
resource-intensive population viability analysis
(PVA) will be necessary. If a viable population
46
J. Morrison et al
estimate is difcult to come by or there are

severe limits to the number of individuals that
are possible, the bottom line is that a target level
should be chosen that represents the largest
conceivable achievable population level.
For restoration purposes, the specic needs
of each focal species must be analysed individually. A number of related metrics, including
minimum patch size, connecting patches to
enlarge the effective habitat area or feature
(breeding, feeding, or nesting areas/cavities),
corridor width, specic habitat requirements
(plant species), access to water, etc. must be
considered. During the course of the analysis
to determine the habitat and total area requirements for each species, it should quickly
become clear if there is not enough habitat
necessary for a viable population of a particular
speciesand restoration will be necessary. This
is frequently the case in those ecoregions that
have been highly degraded.
The reconnection of now disjunct habitat

patches is a common application of forest
restoration activities. This is the focus of the
current work in the Terai Arc in the Eastern
Himalayas: reconnecting 10 protected areas
by encouraging the growth of communitymanaged forests (Fig. 6.2). Tigers are loath to
cross more than 5 km2 of nonhabitat, but the
existing protected areas are not large enough
to maintain viable populations of tigers. Some
mixing of the respective populations is desirable. Therefore, community forests are being
encouraged where gaps in forest cover are
noted between the existing protected areas.
This will allow tigers, greater-one horned rhinoceroses, and Asian elephants to disperse
between patches of prime habitat. Restoration
is an important activity in other fragmented
ecoregions that still contain large carnivores,
including for jaguars in South Americas
Atlantic Forest and for wolves and grizzly bears
Figure 6.2. Reconnecting protected areas (dark) with forest restoration (light). (Source: WWF.)
in the ecoregions of the Northern Rockies of

North America.
2.3. Ecological and Evolutionary

Processes
The many evolutionary and ecological
processes that create and sustain biodiversity
are complex, and often poorly understood.
Gene ow, migration, pollination, seed dispersal, predatorprey dynamics, and nutrient
cycling are some of the many that should be
considered when a conservation plan is developed. All of these processes can potentially
benet from restoration activities, because
many species (and the processes that they are
involved in) will respond positively to restored
forest quality, but some of them will benet
more obviously than others. Gene ow and
migration can directly benet from restored
forest corridors, as in the above examples. Likewise, if key processes such as pollination or seed
dispersal are threatened by insufcient forest
area to support the species that are performing
these functions, restoration activities would be
appropriate.
In some regions, reduced forest cover threatens to throw the area into a not-easilyreversible regional climatic shift. Restoration of
forest cover (that simultaneously meets ner
scale representation targets and is congured
to maximise forest block size for area-sensitive
species) would be a high priority activity.
The Terai Arc is also a good example for this
set of conservation goals. By reconnecting
disjunct forest patches and thus tiger subpopulations, the ecological processes of subadult
dispersal, gene ow, and restoration of predatorprey dynamics can be restored. Because
systems with large predators are often dominated top-down forces (in this case elephants
and tigers), the reintroduction of tigers and
elephants across the entire landscape will help
put a number of natural ecological processes
back into a more natural dynamic balance.
However, the needs of ner-scale habitat
specialists (particularly for breeding or
feeding) within the larger area should not be
overlooked.
47
2.4. Environmental Change

Planning for inevitable environmental change
(even without the additional spectre of anthropogenic climate change) is a key precept in conservation. Ecological systems are by their very
nature dynamic, and it is important to incorporate large habitat areas and sufcient connectivity between habitat areas in order to build
resiliency into the protected area network.
Increased connectivity is the main option available to conservation planners trying to anticipate the effects of anthropogenic climate
change. Species ranges are already beginning
to shift in latitude and altitude; this is true not
only for animals but for plant species as well.
Again, reconnecting now disjunct habitat
patches through restored forest corridors is an
appropriate application for forest restoration
activities to help migration to keep pace with
changing conditions. In addition, managing the
landscape in such a way that it provides more
exibility for species and gene ow in times of
stress is an important element of restoration.
This connectivity strategy will be important
for every ecoregion across the planet to consider. Ecoregions likely to be faced with this
threat in the near term are tropical montane
ecoregions that contain signicant topographic
relief. Climatological changes are concentrated
in narrow bands, and maintaining altitudinal
connectivity will be critical for allowing habitats to shift in response to changing temperature and moisture regimes.
Restoration activities are important for all
ecoregions where human activities have fragmented the ecoregion, and this includes most
ecoregions. Rising temperatures and changing
precipitation patterns will cause natural communities to shift latitudinally and altitudinally.
Without restoration to reconnect fragmented
habitat patches with corridors, natural communities will have great difculty shifting across
human-dominated landscapes. A more specic
example of the need for restoration will be in
tropical coastal ecoregions with mangroves. As
sea level continues to rise, mangrove belts will
tend to shift inland (Fig. 6.3). However, if the
landward edge of the mangrove belt has been
degraded, which it commonly is, space and
48
J. Morrison et al
Figure 6.3. Mangrove belts along
coastal areas are expected to shift
inland with rising sea levels. (Photo
John Morrison.)
restoration activities will be necessary to allow

the continued persistence of the mangroves,
and with them the important ecological (and
social) functions they perform.69
2.5. Deciding Where to Do

Restoration When There
Are Choices
In the preceding discussion, the need for
restoration fell into two broad categories:
increasing the area of a particular forest type
for representation or for particular species/
processes, and restoring particular landscape
features, especially corridors, which allow specic ecological processes to operate. Sometimes
there are choices of where restoration is most
appropriate. All other things being equal, it is
generally easier to restore the less degraded
example of a forest type, since less effort or
time will be required. All other things are rarely
equal, however. How does one decide which
semi-irreplaceable example of a forest type to
restore if there are several choices? Obviously,
many factors must often be weighed.
The rst step is to be clear about the end
objective(s). For example, is primary forest the
only possible objective, or would secondary
forest do just as well (or even better) for the
focal species being considered? Factors to consider when determining which area to restore
are the following:
69
Noss, 2001.
The current condition of the forest area in

questionhow much effort/time is required
to restore?
Proximity to other viable habitats, to allow
species to disperse or facilitate later
reconnection
Proximity to the existing or anticipated
urban frontier
This last bullet point highlights an entire class
of information that can help to assure that
restoration activities (and in fact any conservation activities) have the greatest chance of
success. The mapping of human population
density, distance from access corridors, government capacity, ethnic stability and homogeneity, and similar factors can help a project see
where the threats and opportunities lie across
the ecoregion or landscape. Additionally, the
incorporation of socioeconomic information
and consultation will help to assure that
restoration activities undertaken for ecological
reasons will also benet local people either
through ecological services or even through
employment in restoration activities.
3. Outline of Tools
As already noted, ecoregion conservation in
the WWF network is more of a philosophy than
a particular methodology, and a number of
methodologies have been used to achieve the
four goals of conservation. This is altogether
appropriate, since there is a great variety of
49
data availability, social structures, infrastructure, and professional capacity in the ecoregions across the planet. There is no tool
especially tailored to help set restoration priorities. These priorities should emerge from a
generic comprehensive planning process.
A full discussion of the tools available for
ecoregional conservation planning is beyond
the scope of this paper. Some of the primary
tools include:
habitat for inclusion in protected area networks, and these tools can be used to work with
maps of previously existing potential vegetation. However, further renement of these tools
and associated techniques to identify areas that
could be restored to meet representation goals
is needed.
WWFs approaches to ecoregion conservation,70 including specic advice about actions

in priority conservation landscapes71 and case
studies72 and a detailed guide to implementation within ecoregions73
The Nature Conservancys approach to
ecoregion conservation74
Systematic conservation planning approaches as developed in New South Wales,
Australia75
Dinerstein, E., Powell, G., Olson, D., et al. 2000. A

workbook for conducting biological assessments
and developing biodiversity visions for ecoregionbased conservation. World Wildlife Fund,
Washington,
DC.
http://www.worldwildlife.
org/science/pubs2.cfml.
Groves, C.R., Valutis, L.L., Vosick, D., et al. 2000.
Designing a geography of hope: a practitioners
handbook to ecoregional conservation planning.
The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, VA. www.
conserveonline.org.
Loucks, C., Springer, J., Palminteri, S., Morrison, J.,
and Strand, H. 2004. From the Vision to the
Ground: A Guide to Implementing Ecoregion
Conservation in Priority Areas. World Wildlife
Fund, Washington, DC.
Margules, C.R., and Pressey, R.L. 2000. Systematic
conservation planning. Nature 405:243253.
Noss, R.F. 1992. The wildlands project: land conservation strategy. Wild Earth (Special issue) 1025.
Noss, R.F. 2001. Beyond Kyoto: forest management
in a time of rapid climate change. Conservation
Biology 15(3):578590.
Olson, D.M., and Dinerstein, E. 1998. The global
200: a representation approach to conserving the
earths most biological valuable ecoregions. Conservation Biology 12:502515.
Olson, D.M., Dinerstein, E., Wikramanayake, E.D.,
et al. 2001. A new map of life on earth. BioScience
15:933938.
Palminteri, S. 2003. Ecoregion conservation: securing
living landscapes through science-based planning
and action. A users guide for ecoregion conservation through examples from the eld (draft).
CD-Rom. World Wildlife Fund US, Washington,
DC.
Scott, J.M., Norse, E.A., Arita, H., et al. 1999. The
issue of scale in selecting and designing biological
reserves. In: Soule, M.E., Terborgh, J. Continental
Conservation; Scientic Foundations of Regional
Reserve Networks. Island Press, Washington, DC.
WWF. 2003. Ecoregion Action Programmes A Guide
for Practitioners. WWF International, Gland,
Switzerland.
The use of a geographic information system

(GIS) is practically mandatory when considering spatial planning for conservation. The GIS
allows spatial maps to display conservation
options, and more powerfully, allows the user to
combine biological and socioeconomic information to analyse ways of meeting conservation goals at the least socioeconomic cost.
Additional tools that work alongside and with
a GIS are decision support software tools,
which allow numerous competing variables to
be combined. Depending on the particular tool
used, a single best conservation conguration
may be generated or a range of choices can be
portrayed. In some of these tools, once a decision is made regarding a particular portion of
the landscape, the entire study area can be
recalculated to portray the next best options.
4. Future Needs
Further development is needed for tools to
prioritise restoration needs. Current decision
support tools are able to identify remaining
70
71
72
73
74
75
Dinerstein et al, 2000.

Loucks et al, 2004.
Palminteri, 2003.
WWF, 2003.
Groves et al, 2000.
Margules and Pressey, 2000.
References
50
J. Morrison et al
Additional Reading
International Tropical Timber Organisation. 2002.
ITTO Guidelines for the Restoration, Management, and Rehabilitation of Degraded and
Secondary Tropical Forests. ITTO Policy Development Series No. 13, Yokohama, Japan.
Moguel, P., and Toledo, V.M. 1999. Biodiversity conservation in traditional coffee systems of Mexico.
Conservation Biology 13:1121.
Pimentel, D., Stachow, U., Takacs, D.A., et al. 1992.

Conserving biological diversity in agricultural
forestry systems: most biological diversity exists
in human-managed ecosystems. Bioscience 42:
354362.
Victor, D.G., and Ausubel, J.H. 2000. Restoring the
forest: skinhead earth? Foreign Affairs 79(6):127
144.
7
Why Do We Need to Consider
Restoration in a Landscape Context?
Nigel Dudley, John Morrison, James Aronson, and Stephanie Mansourian
1.1. Why Restore?

Restoration is already needed in many
important forest ecosystems because loss
and degradation have proceeded to a point
where the ecosystem is no longer sustainable
in the long term.
Approaching restoration on a landscape
scale means addressing conservation issues
while considering social concerns, at a scale
where optimisation and trade-offs are easier
to agree on than at the site level.
Most current restoration activities tend too
often to focus on one or two benets and
miss the wider picture.
Tools are starting to be developed that help
to negotiate realistic mixes of management
actions, including a suite of restoration activities, and biodiversity protection, at the full
landscape scale.
1. Background and
The landscape is the spatial and ecological scale
at which the range of different ecological,
social, and economic needs and desires of
stakeholders can best be discussed, compared,
and integrated.
Conservation strategies that rely solely on

protected areas and sustainable management
have proved insufcient either to secure biodiversity or to stabilise the environment. The
United Nations Environment Programme now
classies a large proportion of the worlds land
surface as degraded, and reversing this
damage is one of the largest and most complex
challenges of the 21st century. Habitat loss
is already so severe that conservation programmes need to include restoration if they are
to deliver long-term success. Analysis of the
WWF Global 200 ecoregionsidentied as
those of the highest conservation importance
demonstrates the problems. Over 80 percent of
the G200 forest ecoregions need restoration in
at least parts of their area; deforestation is a key
threat to water quality in 59 percent of G200
freshwater ecoregions, and three quarters of
G200 mangrove ecoregions are under threat.76
Even where forest is stable or increasing, parallel losses of forest quality create the need for
restoration. In Western Europe, for instance,
research by the United Nations Economic
Commission for Europe found that most countries had less than 1 percent of their forests surviving in an unmanaged state.77
Forest loss is not only of concern to conservationists. The United Nations estimates that 60
million people are directly dependent on forest
76
77
Dudley and Mansourian, 2000.

Dudley and Stolton, 2004.
51
52
N. Dudley et al
resources including many of the poorest

people. A far larger number are indirectly
dependent, for example, on environmental
services from forests such as soil and watershed
protection. Forests also provide a wealth of
recreational, spiritual, and aesthetic services.
1.2. Why Landscapes?

Many restoration efforts have ended in failure (see Forest Landscape Restoration in
Context). Some of the reasons for this relate
to their limited scope, their lack of engagement
with local people and other stakeholders interests and needs, their short-term nature, and
their failure to address underlying causes of
forest loss and degradation. In the last decade
or so it has become increasingly clear to conservationists that developmental and socioeconomic concerns cannot be overlooked if
conservation is to be successful. Conservation
activities, therefore, inevitably take place alongside other aspects of sustainable development,
and a landscape approach can help to embrace
both aspects of conservation and development.
Because the restoration of forests in landscapes
aims to repair and recover forest products and
services that are valuable to people, it has a key
role to play in development programmes. Balancing competing ecological and social needs is
always difcult, but is most likely to succeed if
we work on a large enough area to encompass
two or more interactive ecosystems, as well as
different landscape units with different land
uses by local people. This facilitates negotiation
and trade-offs among different demands.
Thus, rather than relying on a series of individual projects attempting to restore individual
forest values, at the landscape scale it becomes
possible to attempt the integration of these
projects. Where successful, the net result should
be much more than the sum of individual
site-based restoration actions. Achieving a
balance between the various goods and services
required from restored forest ecosystems
requires conceptualisation, planning, and implementation on a broader scale. It also assumes
some negotiations and trade-offs among the
various stakeholders involved to identify those
restoration actions that have enough of a
groundswell of support to be likely to succeed.

A landscape or ecoregion approach also allows
forest restoration to be fully integrated with protection and sustainable management of forest.
From the perspectives of biodiversity, longterm viability and ultimately social and economic values, approaches to restoration need
to focus on forest functions and ecological
processes. A key concern in many restoration
projects is increasing the size of core areas of
forest habitat. However, where space is limited
by competing land uses, many functions of a
large forest can be simulated by increasing connectivity between patches of forest by biological corridors and ecological stepping stones
(patches of habitat that can provide way stations for migrating or mobile species). Increasing the values of existing forests, for example by
changing management or decreasing interference, can also play a vital role in restoration.
The landscape scale also allows us to consider
the links between different habitat types. The
interface between habitats may be abrupt (particularly in managed landscapes) or gradual,
and they will have a varying ability to allow dispersal and interchange of species (see Restoring Tropical Montane Forests). Increasing the
permeability of habitat boundaries to genetic
interchange may be as important as specic
habitat creation such as biological corridors.
1.3. Protect, Manage, Restore

in a Landscape
The result of integrating efforts to restore multiple functions at a landscape scale often resembles a mosaic, where protected areas, other
protective forests, and various forms of use
and management are combined, depending on
existing and evolving needs, legislative constraints, and land ownership patterns. Restoration becomes a management option that can be
used within any part of the landscape to contribute to the overall long-term aims for the
landscape. Agreeing on the mosaic and balancing different social, economic, and environmental needs on a landscape scale requires
careful planning and negotiation.
A landscape approach recognises that overall
landscape values and services are more impor-
7. Why Do We Need to Consider Restoration in a Landscape Context?
tant than individual sites, and that in a world of

competing interests, conservation aims need
to be integrated with those of, for example,
poverty alleviation, human health, and other
legitimate forms of social and economic development and welfare. Conservation cannot, or
should not, take place divorced from issues
relating to human well-being, and people
working for conservation are usually also concerned about social justice and sustainable
development. The appropriate approach,
therefore, is to identify where and how these
different but overlapping interests can best be
integrated into a multifunctional landscape.
Such integration will necessarily include negotiation and trade-offs.
1.4. The Process of Restoring

Forest Functions in
a Landscape
Deciding what forms of restoration to apply
requires a suite of different activities, including
careful analysis of what is needed, assessment of
what is possible, and agreement amongst relevant stakeholders about the aims of restoration
and the appropriate actions to undertake. It is
axiomatic of forest landscape restoration that in
most cases we are not looking at a single project
or a single forest use, but rather at a range of
different restoration efforts that will, as far as is
feasible, be coordinated and complementary.
The extent to which this is attainable in practice
depends on the willingness of different groups
of stakeholders to cooperate, the negotiation
skills of those involved, and hard-to-dene
issues such as ownership patterns and other
demands on the landscape. In areas where much
of the land is in private ownership, many
common goods including conservation can
only be addressed through voluntary agreements, land purchase, or overarching policy
decisions, and all of these options are slow and
laborious to achieve in most situations.
2. Examples
Some examples show how different countries
or regions have approached issues of restoration and how different priorities have shaped
53
and in some cases distorted options for restoring a balanced forest mosaic.
2.1. Switzerland: Restoration for

Environmental Services but
with Additional Economic and
Biodiversity Values
Following severe erosion and ooding problems in the past resulting from historical deforestation, during the 19th and 20th centuries
Switzerland devised a system of continuous
cover forestry to protect slopes and provide
resources and fuel. The government has one of
the few forest policies that explicitly rank social
and protective functions above commercial
functions. The country has 1,204,047 hectares of
forest and woodland, covering 29 percent of
the country.78 Trees within managed forests
are generally native and around 60 percent are
conifers, with almost half the growing stock
being Norway spruce. Although forest management is less intensive than in many European
countries on a stand level, it affects virtually the
entire forest area, and there are very few oldgrowth forests. Around 0.5 percent of forests
are in natural forest reserves. Landscape-scale
planning has played a critical role in identifying
where best to restore forests, with an emphasis
being placed on avalanche control, stabilisation
of slopes, provision of local rewood, and biodiversity conservation.79
2.2. Guinea: Traditional

Management Including
Forest Restoration
Careful research with villages on the forestsavannah interface in Guinea, in West Africa,
found that rather than contributing to deforestation as was once thought, local communities were actually planting and tending forest
patches. Once villages were abandoned (a periodic response to declining soil fertility so that
communities moved every few decades), such
forests tended to decline and disappear as a
78
79
Holenstein, 1995.
McShane and McShane-Caluzi, 1997.
54
N. Dudley et al
result of increased grazing pressure from savannah herbivores. New areas were chosen on the
basis of past use and where fertility was likely
to have recovered, thus focussing on different
parts of the landscape at different times to ensure
long-term continuity. Villagers established
forest patches on the edge of the grassland to
provide needed nontimber forest products and
protected these from re and grazing.80
2.3. United Kingdom: Plantations

Replacing Natural Forests and
Dominating the Landscape
Following the First World War, concern about
lack of timber led to the establishment of the
Forestry Commission, which was provided with
considerable funds and political power to
undertake compulsory purchase, to establish
fast-growing plantations of trees. The emphasis
was on conifers, particularly Sitka spruce (Picea
sitchensis) from Alaska. Many of these plantations were established on upland grazing areas
(which were originally forested but had lost
their tree cover, in some cases centuries before).
Some plantations were also established on the
site of native woodland, which was occasionally
cleared with herbicides, and in northeast Scotland on moor that had never contained trees.
Whilst the planting was successful in creating a
strategic reserve, it led to resentment about loss
of access, native woodlands, and other natural
habitats, and a limited range of forest functions.
Dense forest created access problems and the
abrupt boundaries between this and other
habitat limited usefulness for biodiversity. Planning was usually at site rather than landscape
scale. From the 1980s onward, the commission
started revising its aims, increasing native planting and playing a more general stewardship
role in land management; experiments are also
taking place in returning woodland areas to
local community control.81
2.4. Costa Rica: Shade-Grown

Coffee as a Linking Habitat in
Fragmented Landscape with a
High Population Density
Although Costa Rica still contains large areas
of native forests, some forest ecosystems have
declined to a fraction of their former size and
are no longer ecologically viable, particularly
in Talamanca and Guanacaste. In the former
area, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has been
working with local communities to link remaining forest fragments to allow access for birds.
Because pressure on land was too intense to
allow space for native woodland as such, shade
grown cacao and coffee production was encouraged and supported, planned at a landscape
scale to link remaining forest fragments. While
far from a natural woodland, the trees shading
coffee provide habitats to allow passage for
rare birds, thus allowing them to form viable
populations.82
The above cases illustrate only a fraction of
the possible examples. They show that in most
places where restoration is encouraged, its
purpose is generally fairly narrow (also see
Goals and Targets of Forest Landscape
Restoration): erosion control, strategic reserves, etc. If other benets accrue, it has sometimes been fortuitous. One of the key aspects of
forest landscape restoration is to reduce the
elements of chance and increase the sophistication of restoration planning.
3. Outline of Tools
3.1. Ecoregional Planning Tools
A wide range of possible tools exist to plan
regional scale forest cover and management
(see also previous chapter). Among the most
popular are the following:
Ecoregional workshops: used to help establish a vision for an ecoregion, prioritise
actions and conservation landscapes, and
develop strategies
80
81
Fairhead and Leach, 1996.

Garforth and Dudley, 2003.
82
Parrish et al, 1999.
Understanding
development
trajectories
Defining our own conservation targets

Learning about the needs and expectations of others
Defining the landscape(s)
Assessing current/potential benefits from the landscape
Integration of
protection,
management
and restoration
Negotiation with
stakeholders
Developing possible land-use scenarios

Reconciling land-use options
Conflict resolution
Implementation
Decisions
Implementation (strategic interventions)
Adaptation
Adaptation as a result of lessons learned
Identification of
conservation and
other values
55
Monitoring and learning
The order given is one possibility but in practice many stages may take place simultaneously, or at different
times in different parts of the landscapee.g., stakeholder negotiation is likely to occur throughout this process in
some form or other, and early development of a monitoring and evaluation system has proved very valuable.
Figure 7.1. Protectmanagerestore approach.
Computer-aided design packages: including

those involved in the development of systematic conservation planning
Conservation by design: developed by TNC,
using a ve-step process (identifying targets,
gathering information, setting goals, assessing viability, assembling portfolios) and the 5S framework (systems, stresses, sources,
strategies, success)
There are many other examples; a selection are
available on the Web-based Earth Conservation Toolbox.83
diagrammatically in Figure 7.1 (also see Box 7.1

for the detailed steps):
3.3. Implementing Conservation in

Priority Areas
WWF also has a science-based methodology
for continuing ecoregion planning inside priority conservation landscapes, containing a set of
guidelines to develop and implement a conservation landscape, which could be used to
include restoration issues.85
3.2. Protect, Manage, Restore

WWF84 and IUCN have developed a number of
landscape approaches to help address this kind
of broadscale decision making, and these or
similar exercises could provide help in determining where restoration could be used most
effectively.An outline of one approach is shown
83
84
www.earthtoolbox.net.
Aldrich et al, 2004.
3.4. Reference Forests

Restoration for conservation usually involves
trying to regain something as similar to a native
forest as possible (for more, see Identifying
and Using Reference Landscapes for
Restoration).
85
Loucks et al, 2004.
56
N. Dudley et al
Box 7.1. The stages in a protectmanagerestore process

Dening our own conservation targets:
As stakeholders, conservation organisations need to start with some ideas of the
landscape mix that they are aiming for,
including ideas about geographical areas
and ecological processes of primary interest. Reaching these targets will require
a mix of protection, management, and
restoration.
Learning about the needs and expectations of others: At an early stage it is
important to get an initial idea about the
other key stakeholders and their relationships, what they need and want, and what
they are planning. While the focus will
be on economic or development issues,
culture, history, expectations within
society, level of development, and spiritual needs are all important.
Dening the landscape(s): The concept of
landscape has many different meanings; a conservation programme will
usually work within a predetermined
conservation landscape, but it is important to identify any cultural landscapes
nested within or overlapping the conservation landscape: e.g., a village, land used
by nomadic pastoralists, or a timber
concession.
Assessing current/potential benets from
the landscape: The next stage involves
assessment to identify lost, current, and
potential future values from the landscape. While conservationists tend to
focus on biodiversity, assessment also
takes full account of social, cultural, and
economic values. The extent to which this
is a participatory process can be decided
on a case-by-case basis. Including stakeholders also means that assessment is part
of the negotiation process.
Developing land-use scenarios: Integration of potential conservation and
development actions to develop scenarios
including a combination of elements

such as protected areas; other protected
forests (set asides, watershed protection
etc); well-managed forests; areas needing restoration; and other compatible
and competing land uses. All these factors
interact. What mosaic will work best?
Are we looking at one master plan or
a pattern that emerges gradually over
time?
Reconciling land use options: The
approach is predicated on the idea that
trades-offs among social, economic, and
environmental values are often essential
and are acceptable if overall values are
maintained or enhanced within the
landscape.
Decisions: In some situations government(s), nongovernmental organisations,
corporate interests, and communities may
agree on a package of actions within one
action plan. In many other cases, negotiations are likely to be continuing and sporadic. Here it is unlikely that a single
master plan could be agreed; rather, decisions will be over smaller parcels of land
within a framework that will continue to
evolve.
Implementation (strategic interventions):
Some of the resulting actions will take
place at the site level and may involve
creating the right conditions for natural
regeneration, selective tree planting to
reconnect forest fragments, or community
initiatives to improve re management.
Other interventions may be necessary
at a landscape or even larger scale, e.g.,
working with governments to realign
reforestation programmes.
Monitoring and learning: Much of what
we will be attempting with the landscape
approach is quite new, and therefore
it is especially important to ensure that
progress is monitored effectively and that
lessons are both used to improve programmes as they develop and are also
transmitted around and beyond the
immediate conservation programme. At
a larger scale, combining monitoring of
3.5. Gap Analysis

Several methodologies exist for identifying
gaps in existing forest systems. For example,
a WWF Canada methodology used enduring
landform features to identify likely past vegetation,86 while another developed by the United
Nations Environment Programme-World Conservation Monitoring Centre(UNEP-WCMC)
used analysis of current forest cover.87
4. Future Needs
Although restoration needs are increasingly
being addressed within broader-scale conservation, they generally remain less well supported
in terms of approaches and methodologies
than, for example, planning of protected areas.
These needs include the following:
Prioritisation: There is a need for better tools
for prioritisation of areas for restoration, for
example to balance the importance of connectivity with core areas, identication of
microhabitat gaps in current forest cover, calculation of minimum viable areas, etc.
Decision support: Methodologies are needed
for balancing social and ecological values,
including participatory methods.
Incorporating a range of management schemes
into existing decision support tools: Currently, decision support tools consider an
area either protected, or not, based on the
input of the user. More sophisticated tools
are needed that can handle a wider range
of protection schemes (e.g., sustainably
managed forests).
86
87
Iacobelli et al, 1994.

UNEP-WCMC, 2002.
57
many individual projects, along with

some additional indicators that transcend
individual project work, will be needed
to measure progress over the whole
landscape.
There is also the need for some degree of

advocacy and explanation, to encourage those
involved in broad-scale planning to consider
restoration, particularly in the case of restoring
forest quality. Some of these tools are being
developed during current forest landscape
restoration projects, but it is still too early to
judge their success.
References
Aldrich, M., et al. 2004. Integrating Forest Protection, Management and Restoration at a Landscape
Scale. WWF, Gland, Switzerland.
Dudley, N., and Mansourian, S. 2000. Forest Landscape Restoration and WWFs Conservation Priorities. WWF International, Gland, Switzerland.
Dudley, N., and Stolton, S. 2004. Biological diversity,
tree species composition and environmental protection in regional FRA-2000. Geneva Timber and
Forest Discussion Paper 33. United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and Food and
Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations,
Geneva.
Fairhead, J., and Leach, M. 1996. Misreading the
African Landscape: Society and Ecology in a
Forest-Savanna Mosaic. Cambridge University
Press, Cambridge, UK.
Garforth, M., and Dudley, N. 2003. Forest Renaissance. Published in association with the Forestry
Commission and WWF UK, Edinburgh and
Godalming.
Holenstein, B. 1995. Forests and Wood in Switzerland. Federal Ofce of Environment, Forests and
Landscape. Swiss Forest Agency, Bern.
Iacobelli, T., Kavanagh, K., and Rowe, S. 1994. A
Protected Areas Gap Analysis Methodology: Planning for the Conservation of Biodiversity. World
Wildlife Fund Canada, Toronto.
Loucks, C., Springer, J., Palminteri, S., Morrison, J.,
and Strand, H. 2004. From the Vision to the
58
N. Dudley et al
Ground: A Guide to Implementing Ecoregion

Conservation in Priority Areas. WWF-US,
Washington, DC.
McShane, T.O., and McShane-Caluzi, E. 1997. Swiss
forest use and biodiversity conservation. In Freese,
C.H., ed. Harvesting Wild Species: Implications
for Biodiversity Conservation. John Hopkins
University Press, Baltimore and London, pp. 132
166.
Parrish, J.D., Reitsma, R., and Greenberg, R., et al.

1999. Cacao as Crop and Conservation Tool in
Latin America: Meeting the Needs of Farmers and
Biodiversity. Island Press/America Verde Publications, The Nature Conservancy, Arlington,
Virginia.
UNEP-WCMC. 2002. European forests and protected areas gap analysis 2002. http://www.
unep-wcmc.org/forest/eu_gap/index.htm.
8
Addressing Trade-Offs in Forest
Landscape Restoration
Katrina Brown
1.1. WinWin Situations

In questions of land management and natural
resource allocation it will nearly always be
impossible to satisfy all stakeholders and
there will necessarily be winners and losers.
Applying the concept of multifunctionality
can help to allow different forest functions
to coexist, meeting a wider range of different stakeholder groups interests.
Capacity needs to be created among conservationists to engage stakeholders in constructive trade-off discussions and to deal
with the outcomes of these.
1. Background and
In most of the places where forest restoration
is being considered, from the perspective of
either conservation or development, the landscape is already inhabited. Furthermore, the
resident or transient populations are unlikely
to be a single homogeneous entity. Therefore,
forest restoration involves many different
stakeholder groups with their own wants and
needs.87a Agreeing what the restoration priorities should be within a given landscape will consequently necessitate negotiating trade-offs
among a range of stakeholders.
87a
Sheng (no year).
It is often assumed that with enough discussion

and compromise, questions of land management and natural resource allocation can be
agreed to in ways that satisfy everyonein this
case that a sufcient number and variety of
forest functions can be restored in a landscape
to satisfy all stakeholder groups: so-called
winwin situations. The question of how to
attain such winwin situations has been
addressed by many integrated conservation and
development projects, and the consensus seems
to be that in most real-life situations it will be
impossible to satisfy everybody and there will
necessarily be winners and losers.88 From our
perspective, some people will stand to gain
more from the restored functions of a forest,
for example with increased availability of fuelwood or salable products, while others will lose
for instance, through access or grazing rights.
The realistic aim of a negotiated process is to
minimise the losses and to ensure that these do
not fall disproportionately on those already
amongst the poorest or otherwise disadvantaged. Indeed, raising false assumptions that
careful planning and participatory processes
can deliver winwin results, and an accompanying failure to deal with necessary trade-offs
are often major sources of conict, because
people have their expectations raised and then
not met.
88
McShane and Wells, 2004.
59
60
K. Brown
1.2. Identifying Stakeholders

The need for trade-offs arises because different
stakeholder groups have different expectations
or needs from a landscape. To understand
trade-offs when dealing with a restoration programme in a landscape, the rst step is to identify all the stakeholders. Often stakeholders are
characterised by their degree of inuence and
importance.89 The results of such an analysis can
be categorised into primary stakeholders, secondary stakeholders, and external stakeholders.
Primary stakeholders have little inuence
on the outcomes but they have the most to
lose from management decisions. A primary
stakeholder could be a farmer, a sher, or
a forest-dweller. Secondary stakeholders are
often managers or decision makers, and they
are the ones charged with implementing the
decision, although the outcomes do not impact
directly on them. External stakeholders are
those who can signicantly inuence the
outcome even if they are located far away,
typically international nongovernmental organisations (NGOs). Many more complex stakeholder categories have been suggested, but
these three capture the main groupings.
Depending on the objectives of the trade-off
process, stakeholder analysis can be critical in
identifying who to include and perhaps how to
engage them.
1.3. Brokering a Satisfactory

Outcome
The next requirement in an equitable trade-off
process is to allow genuine discussion on tradeoffs between different stakeholders. There is
usually a need for someone to help facilitate
this process, ideally a person without a stake
(perhaps a trusted outsider) who can act as an
honest broker.90 The role of the broker is to
encourage an open discussion and to help facilitate a process whereby different stakeholders
feel that they are gaining something from the
process, even if that may mean also agreeing to
some sacrices. For instance, shifting cultivators
may need to modify their approach to farming,
but in return they may gain legitimate access to

nontimber forest products located in the landscape. Frequently, conservation or development
organisations like to consider themselves as
neutral brokers, yet the reality is that they
also have a position and an interest. Conservation organisations are stakeholders just like any
other, with a particular vision that will sometimes be in competition with other legitimate
economic and social visions, and conservationists are therefore unlikely to get everything
that they want.91 Valid processes require much
more time, patience and sensitivity to local cultures than most outside experts are prepared to
allocate. Neutral facilitation and explicit recognition of the trade-offs between the interests of
different stakeholders are important ingredients of success.92
1.4. The Concept of

Multifunctionality
When negotiating trade-offs in attempting to
restore forest functions in a landscape, the
concept of multifunctionality is important. If
one stakeholder group, for instance biologists, is
the only one deciding on the restoration outcomes of a given landscape, it may be that an
ideal landscape for that group is one containing
pristine habitat for all identied species in the
given area. On the other hand, if the single stakeholder is a plantation company, it may be that its
vision for the main function to restore in the
landscape is that of productive monoculture
plantations bringing in money from pulp and
paper. For a poor local family, the main function
it may be interested in restoring might be fuelwood. Applying the concept of multifunctionality can help to allow these different functions to
coexist, meeting a wider range of different
stakeholder groups interests.
1.5. Types of Trade-Offs93

Restoring a landscape intentionally to meet a
range of functions requires negotiating tradeoffs. There are different types of trade-offs:
91
89
90
Brown, 2004.
Franks, 2004.
92
93

Sayer et al, 2003.
Brown, 2004.
8. Addressing Trade-Offs in Forest Landscape Restoration
Trade-offs between different interest priorities, as per the example above

Trade-offs between short and long-term
horizons
Trade-offs between different spatial scales,
notably sites and landscapes
Trade-offs between different sections of
society and biodiversity conservation, typically farmers or plantation owners and conservation NGOs
Trade-offs between different aspects of biodiversity, as it may not always be possible to
restore a landscape to secure all species in a
landscape; decisions on which species will
take priority will require trade-offs
Trade-offs between different social groups
traditionally more inuential groups may
have taken decisions, but primary stakeholders are those whose livelihoods are directly
affected; in a truly representative process,
trade-offs will need to happen across social
groups and scales.
Trade-offs among economic priorities, social
welfare, and conservation.
The skills needed to assess and evaluate such
trade-offs and support negotiations about them
are often lacking amongst conservation organisations, although they are more likely to exist
within aid or development bodies. Developing
negotiating skills is one of the key priorities in
developing the capacity to work at landscape level
(see Negotiations and Conict Management).
2. Example: An Hypothetical
Example for Negotiating the
Restoration of a Landscape
There are as yet few examples where a truly
negotiated discussion and trade-offs led to a
restored landscape.
A theoretical process to achieve this was presented at a workshop in Madagascar.94 Possible
steps to reach a negotiated outcome for a restored landscape are as follows:
Each stakeholder group describes the landscape as it was 50 years ago, the steps that
94
Taken from a presentation by Tom Erdmann given at a

workshop on Forest Landscape Restoration in Madagascar
in March 2003.
61
turned it into the current landscape and the

main drivers of the changes.
A facilitated discussion takes place to negotiate
the general state of the landscape and its possible future state(s) (characteristics, products,
and services it could offer, etc.).
Each group develops a precise and detailed
vision for the landscape 10 years from the
present, identifying the most important characteristics (i.e., the nonnegotiables), categorising the possibly negotiable characteristics and
the denitely negotiable characteristics.
The visions of different groups are then placed
side by side, and a negotiation process begins
that will culminate in a common vision for
the future, restored landscape, that is acceptable to all.
Such a process most certainly takes a signicant amount of time. It requires clear identication and representation of stakeholders, a
genuine neutral broker (or group of brokers),
and different tools and processes to allow each
stakeholder group to understand the implications of different decisions.
3. Outline of Tools
Some of the tools available to allow the negotiation of trade-offs are as follows:
3.1. Focus Groups

Working in small groups builds condence,
especially amongst stakeholders who may be
reluctant to air their views in large meetings or
are not used to public speaking. It enables specic stakeholders to rehearse and deliberate in
a safe structured environment, prior to larger
meetings or workshops.
3.2. Surveys
Surveys can be valuable in generating baseline
data and information to build believable
scenarios or visions of the future and to illustrate management options. They are a means to
learn about and approach different stakeholders. A particularly useful contribution is to feed
back information generated from surveys to
stakeholders as part of a social learning and triangulation process.
62
K. Brown
3.3. Consensus Building Workshops

Different stakeholders may be brought together in workshops to negotiate trade-offs and
agree on management strategies. A range of
conict resolution and consensus building
techniques can be used, including visioning and
scenarios, as well as ranking and voting on criteria and scenarios.
3.4. Multicriteria Analysis

Multicriteria analysis is a decision-support tool
that can be used in a sophisticated and data
intensive way or, in deliberative workshops, as
a means to help stakeholders take a step back
from concentrating on outcome to assess what
criteria should guide decisions. Rather than
discussing the outcomes of management, this
forces people to look at why and how decisions
should be made rather than on the impacts
of the decisions. This aids a more consensusbased approach to negotiations.
3.5. Extended Cost-Benet

Analyses
A range of evaluation techniques can be used
to draw attention to the nonmonetary and
noneconomic impacts of different management
options and to learn about how different stakeholders value the multiple functions of resources. Again it can help to validate and build
condence in stakeholders by recognising their
priorities and values.
3.6. Scenario-Building
A useful way to discuss different options
without them being directly linked to interests
of specic stakeholders is to dene scenarios or
coherent, internally consistent, and plausible
descriptions of the future.These must be believable and understandable to all stakeholders
and must be linked to specic changes. Discussing and evaluating scenarios are a way of
talking about management options without
having to argue against one persons project or
strategy, and therefore can be useful for building consensus.95
4. Future Needs
Evaluating and negotiating trade-offs is rarely
part of conservation projects, let alone restoration ones. Much more practical experience
is needed in negotiating trade-offs when looking at restoring forest functions in a landscape.
This is particularly the case when considering
limited resources and the urgency of some
restoration needs. In other words, how does one
balance a truly participatory trade-off analysis
with urgent needs to restore habitat for a
threatened species?
Capacity needs to be created among conservationists to engage stakeholders in constructive trade-off discussions and to deal with the
outcomes of these.
References
Aldrich, M., Belokurov, A., Bowling, J., et al. 2003.
Integrating Forest Protection, Management and
Restoration at a Landscape Scale, WWF, Gland,
Switzerland.
Brown, K., Tompkins, E., and Adger, W.N. 2002.
Making Waves: Integrating Coastal Conservation
and Development. Earthscan, London.
Brown, K. 2004. Trade-off Analysis for Integrated
Conservation and Development. In: Mc Shane, T.,
and Wells, M.P., eds. Getting Biodiversity Projects
to Work. Columbia University Press, New York.
Franks, P., and Blomley, T. 2004. Fitting ICD into
a Project Framework: A CARE Perspective. In:
Mc Shane, T., and Wells, M.P., eds. Getting Biodiversity Projects to Work. Columbia University
Press, New York.
Mc Shane, T., and Wells, M.P. 2004. Getting Biodiversity Projects to Work. Colombia University
Press, New York.
Sayer, J., Elliott, C., and Maginnis, S. 2003. Protect,
manage and restore: conserving forests in multifunctional landscapes. Paper prepared for the World
Forestry Congress, Quebec, Canada, September.
Sheng, F. (No date.) Wants, Needs and Rights:
Economic Instruments and Biodiversity Conservation, a dialogue. WWF, Gland, Switzerland.
95
Brown et al, 2002.
Part B
Key Preparatory Steps Toward
Restoring Forests Within a
Landscape Context
Section IV
Overview of the Planning Process
9
An Attempt to Develop a Framework
for Restoration Planning
Daniel Vallauri, James Aronson, and Nigel Dudley

While no two restoration experiences will
follow the same pattern, indicative steps to
planning a restoration initiative are important, particularly when dealing with large
scales or landscapes.
Success depends on wise planning, balancing
short-term with long-term goals, and allocating the funding available for the restoration
programme as efciently as possible.
Learning from past restoration programmes
and their successes and failures is an important starting point to help plan better restoration actions in the future.
There are few tools dealing with planning
restoration in large scales. A ve-step logical
planning process is being proposed.
1. Background and
1.1. Why Planning?
Restoration of natural systems is a difcult,
energy-consuming, and expensive undertaking.
It is almost always a long-term, complex, and
transdisciplinary process.96 This is particularly
96
Pickett and Parker, 1994.
true when dealing with highly degraded ecosystems and landscapes. Inevitably, conicts of
interest and other problems arise.
Ecologically speaking, the restoration of
highly degraded forest usually requires initiating an embryonic ecosystem within a few years
(usually less than 10 to 15 years after degradation), which will be only fully restoredvery
often after additional corrective or ne-tuning
interventionsafter a period of at least 50
years in the tropics, and of 100 years or more in
the extratropical zones. However, forest policies and restoration programmes are generally
nanced only on a short- to medium-term basis.
A 10- to 15-year project span, in most cases, is
the longest possible perspective, both for political and nancial reasons. Bearing this in mind,
restorationists should (1) adapt short-term
restoration goals and techniques to minimise
the number of costly corrective actions; and (2)
plan ahead to secure funds for carrying out
monitoring and evaluation, corrective actions,
or aftercare in the long term.
Also, forest restoration requires inputs and
expertise from various academic and practitioner elds97 like ecology, silviculture, economics, public policy, and the social sciences,
which need to be combined in an efcient way.
Meanwhile, the relative lack of experience
with broad-scale conservation means that lling
the knowledge gaps through research programmes also takes time. Five to 10 years is the
minimum period needed to investigate critical
97
Clewell and Rieger, 1997.
65
66
D. Vallauri et al
questions like natural dynamics, nursery and

plantation techniques for native species, etc.
However, very little money is available to
nance pure research programmes unless they
can be linked to real implementation and
visible successes in the eld. Bearing this in
mind, restorationists should dene short-term
goals and activities that get restoration underway, along with long-term goals for how it can
be sustained over the time period required. A
critical, pragmatic aim is to achieve at least
some rapid eld results, for example on carefully selected pilot sites, to build support for
longer term efforts.
Finally, forest landscape restoration, as
developed in this book, requires a concerted
approach among stakeholders and communities, to develop a shared and accepted vision
and goals for the future of the landscape in
question. This also takes time and should be
planned for, but at the same time should lead
rapidly to tangible changes or outcomes that
really engage stakeholders and people living in
the region in a lasting and meaningful manner.
Success in forest restoration depends on wise
planning,98,99 both in time and in space, balancing short-term goals with long-term goals, and
allocating the funding available for the restoration programme as efciently as possible.
Accordingly, a clear step-by-step plan of action
is needed for success. This was very often
lacking in past restoration programmes, especially site-oriented ones, and has led to many
failures or difculties that often emerge only
decades after the rst restoration efforts were
begun.
1.2. Restoring Step by Step

Where restoration is to be carried out as part
of a wider conservation effort, at the landscape
or ecoregional levels, we would propose that it
be planned as an embedded element within an
integrated programme that also involves protection of whatever is left of untouched nature,
and the promotion of good ecosystem management, as guided by the principles of ste98
99
Aronson et al, 1993.

Wyant et al, 1995a,b.
wardship, sustainability, and sustained use. We

have already outlined some possible elements
in a protectmanagerestore programme in
the introduction to this book. This approach
includes identifying a series of conservation
targetsin this context, what forest functions
we wish to restoreand reconciling these
with the needs, tastes, and expectations of
other stakeholders, especially the indigenous
populations.
Conceptualisation of the process of implementing restoration programmes is very new.
We propose below an outline of a planning
framework, following a ve-step logical planning process. In the context of a broad-scale
conservation strategy, then, the following steps
help lead to the development and realisation of
restoration achievements.
1.2.1. Step 1: Initiating a Restoration

Programme and Partnerships
An essential rst step of any forest landscape
restoration programme is the identication of
the problem being addressed and agreement on
the solutions and the targets for restoration.
Such targets should ideally contribute to wider
ecological and socioeconomical objectives at a
landscape scale. Very often, restorationists must
start from zero to raise awareness on the state
of degradation in the landscape, analyse the
root causes, and then convince other stakeholders of both the need for and the feasibility
of forest restoration. Depending on the context
(the existing level of awareness, politics, funds
available, etc.), this step could last for several
years and require extensive effort.
Experience suggests that restoration usually
only works in the long term if it has support
from a signicant proportion of local stakeholders. Finding out the needs and opinions
of stakeholders is therefore important: What
forest functions do they want to restore and are
there potential clashes of interest? It should be
recognised that the restorationists (conservation NGO or other) are themselves stakeholders with a particular interest (i.e., restoring
biodiversity), which may need to be reconciled
with other stakeholders priorities.
9. An Attempt to Develop a Framework for Restoration Planning
Outputs of this step are:

recognition and common understanding of
the degradation, root causes, and solutions;
stakeholders involvement and participation;
partnership development for an efcient
restoration programme (written key ideas of
the programme and memorandum of understanding); and
secured budget for the restoration programme for at least a rst pluri-annual period
(e.g., ve years).
1.2.2. Step 2: Dening Restoration

Needs, Linking Restoration to
Large-Scale Conservation Vision
Here is a step that is not necessarily easy to
sell to local stakeholders. The geographical
scope can be much wider than many people
are used to working with or even conceptualising (or want to work with, as it has
some implications for development, too).
Ideally, as mentioned above, a vision and
strategy for restoration should be developed
within an integrated protectmanagerestore
approach, especially because the investment
needed to restore has to be reinforced through
synergy with management and protection
activities.
Assessment is needed to determine how
restoration targets might be achieved, including
determining current or potential benets from
forests in the landscape (biodiversity, environmental services, and resources for subsistence
or sale) and the potential for restoration
through use of reference forests and other techniques. An important part of the process is
deciding the realistic boundary of the area or
areas that we wish to restore. Denition of key
areas for protection, analysis of degradation,
and the predictive anticipation of threats can all
help to dene priority landscapes where investment in restoration is most justied.
denition of conservation targets at various
pertinent scales (ecoregion, landscape);
analysis of the broad consequences on the
landscape of past degradation, active pressure, and potential threats;
67
denition of the role of restoration along

with identication of protection and management needs; and
identication of the priority areas that
require restoration and explanation of the
reasons why: Which landscapes, landscape
units, or landscape functions do we need to
restore? Which species do we need to eradicate, control or reintroduce?
1.2.3. Step 3: Dening Restoration

Strategy and Tactics, Including
Land-Use Scenarios
Considering ecological characteristics, but also
socioeconomical context or goals assigned to
the restoration project, several trajectories and
restoration options could be developed for the
same project. Choosing among these options
requires careful study and data gathering.
This will necessarily mean reconciling different points of view and opinions. Agreement can
be a phased and continuing process; that is, it
may be possible to agree to some specic and
useful restoration interventions without reaching agreement about the whole future of the
landscape. The way in which such agreements
are reached will naturally depend on the political and social realities of particular countries
or regions; the general principle that decisions
should be as participatory as possible applies
throughout.
assessment of current/potential benets
from the landscape for people, and for
biodiversity;
assessment of the current, past, and reference
landscape states;
denition of what we can expect to restore;
development of possible land-use scenarios
in space (including maps);
development of possible restoration trajectories to achieve short-term and long-term
goals (including models, time frames, and
maps);
reconciliation of land-use options: how can
we achieve specic goals while meeting or
reconciling conicting demands, tastes, and
needs?;
68
D. Vallauri et al
set of goals, strategies, and tactics for each

zone and problem in the landscape;
set of priorities in space and time;
identication of restoration trajectories, technical options, steps, and phases, (especially
remembering the monitoring and netuning phases necessary to fully achieve
long term restoration goals); and
A written restoration plan, strategy, and set
of tactics, with identied time frames, maps,
allocated funds, and quantied targets.
1.2.4. Step 4: Implementing Restoration

This step is the most visible part of the work,
and usually the most costly. Some projects
start here, for example, by directly investing all
the available funds to plant trees on an
emblematic or strategic site. However, this
ignores the previous planning steps recommended above and can easily end up wasting
time and resources in restoration activities that
either do not work or are in suboptimal locations. It is of course judicious to start smallscale actions, such as one or more pilot sites, for
the sake of learning by doing, to demonstrate
the feasibility of key restoration goals and to
test silvicultural techniques (for example planting, but also natural regeneration). But we
would strongly recommend that larger scale
activities also be undertaken in the context of
careful planning and assessment as outlined in
steps above.
development of pilot sites;
implementation of large-scale actions;
lessons learned from rst results, both successes and failures; and
design and implementation of changes/
adaptation in the restoration programme.
1.2.5. Step 5: Piloting Systems Toward

Fully Restored Ecosystems
In practice, a few years or decades after starting implementation, even if restoration has
hitherto been successful, unexpected results
of previous work or changing circumstances
(evolution of the socioeconomic context, for

example) could alter the most preferable
restoration trajectory. This could even lead in
some cases to redening overall project goals.
Such modications should not be considered as
a failure of the overall programme, but rather
as a normal step in the restoration of a complex
set of ecosystems within a larger landscape
matrix.
Thus, the restoration work is not nished
after planting. To sustain restoration success
in the long run, and to anticipate potential
problems, a simple monitoring and evaluation
framework (see section Monitoring and Evaluation) needs to be set up from the outset of
the programme in order to facilitate adaptive
management and corrective actions.
regular evaluation (social, economical,
ecological);
restoration trajectory reappraisal; and
design and implementation of corrective
actions.
2. Examples
As yet, there are few full-scale forest landscape
restoration programmes, although their numbers are rapidly increasing. The following examples show both the need for planning and
broad-scale restoration planning in practice.
These examples show not only how a planning
framework can be implemented, but also how
problems can arise by forgetting one step.
2.1. New Caledonia: From

Awareness to Restoration of
Tropical Dry Forests (Step 1)
It took 15 years from the rst alarm signals by
scientists to the rst signicant pilot plantings or
protection of sites within a forest landscape
restoration initiative in New Caledonia. Attention to the tropical dry forests of New Caledonia began to grow in the early 1990s. In 1998,
WWF, the global conservation organisation,
launched an effort to organise a consortium of
9. An Attempt to Develop a Framework for Restoration Planning
research institutions, local government agencies,

and NGOs (10 partners) to create a tropical dry
forests programme. Underway since 2001, this
programme has already carried out much of the
preliminary reconnaissance and mapping in different tropical dry forest fragments, as well
as ecological, silvicultural, and horticultural
studies of great importance to restoration
efforts slated to begin in the eld in 2005.Two of
the authors (Aronson and Vallauri), who have
been involved in this restoration programme,
consider that partners should work to prepare
now as soon as possible a protectmanage
restore approach and restoration at broad scale
in a large priority landscape,like the ecologically
outstanding landscape of Gouaro Deva (see
Restoring Dry Tropical Forests).
2.2. Vietnam: Integrating

Restoration into a Landscape
Approach Across Seven
Provinces (Step 2)
The Central Truong Son initiative, covering
seven provinces in central Vietnam inland from
Dalat, is developing an integrated approach to
forest protection, management, and restoration. Comparatively large areas of natural
forest remain standing, although often in poor
or highly degraded condition. There are major
plantation developments of varying success,
and the government is committed to maintaining protected areas. The new Ho Chi Minh
Highway is bringing rapid social and environmental changes, some of which directly
threaten remaining natural forests. The Central
Truong Son initiative has identied priority
landscapes and used a gap analysis, coupled
with a detailed study of forest quality, to pinpoint the most effective areas for restoring
natural forest in terms of increasing forest connectivity and protecting biodiversity; these are
currently around the buffer zone of Song Thanh
nature reserve and in a so-called green corridor
area linking several patches of natural forest.
Elsewhere, more generally the project is
seeking to increase the proportion of forest
restoration funds used for natural regeneration
(see case study Monitoring Forest Landscape
RestorationVietnam).
69
2.3. France: The Consequences of a

Lack of Ecological Monitoring
(Step 5)
In the early 1860s, an ambitious Restoration of
Mountain Lands initiative was set up by the
French forest administration in the southern
Alps, primarily for the purpose of erosion
control. A wide range of plant material was
used, including native shrubs and grasses, but
no particular preference was given to native
trees for replanting. Over 60,000 hectares
were thus planted between 1860 and 1914, using
mainly Pinus nigra Arn. subsp. nigra Host.
These efforts have proved effective at stopping
the average erosion rate (of 0.7 mm per year)
on black marls. Nevertheless, although rehabilitated in the sense that erosion has been halted
and badlands forested, these ecosystems were
not fully restored. No ne-tuning assistance
and ecological evaluation was carried out until
recently.100 The forest soils were now better protected, as shown by the study of soil biological
activity, especially earthworm communities.
However, the rehabilitated ecosystems were
facing two new ecological problems: lack of
natural regeneration, and development of an
infestation of the pine trees by mistletoe
(Viscum album). Once management priorities
have been revised, the goal for the future is to
restore the diversity, structure, and functioning
of a native forest ecosystem. The absence of
long-term monitoring and evaluation for about
100 years did not allow a rapid adaptation of
the restoration trajectory. After a necessary
short pioneer stage with Austrian pine, the
restoration strategy should have been pursued
30 years later by a phase of autogenic restoration of native biota [oak (Quercus), maple
(Acer), mountain ash (Sorbus), and others].
3. Outline of Tools
There are still few specic planning tools
designed specically for restoration. However,
many existing conservation planning tools
could be adapted for or could include a restora100
Vallauri et al, 2002.
70
D. Vallauri et al
tion component. For example, Conservation

International has developed guidelines for corridors that include reference to restoration to
ll gaps in existing forest cover, although with
little detail.
The reader will nd more details on the
potential tools step by step in the following sections. They include among others:
Step 1. Initiating a restoration programme and
partnerships
Lobbying
Participatory approaches
Capacity building
Step 2. Dening restoration needs, linking
restoration to large-scale conservation vision
Ecoregional planning process (WWF)
5-S process and systematic conservation
planning (The Nature Conservancy)
Landscape planning
Step 3. Dening restoration strategy and
tactics, including land-use scenarios
Conceptual modelling
Geographic information systems
Ecological modelling
Restoration vision and strategy meetings
Step 4. Implementing restoration
Tools on plantation, natural regeneration,
species selection, etc., are covered in other
sections of this book.
Step 5. Piloting systems toward fully restored
ecosystems
Restoration projects databases:A lot could
be learned from past restoration successes
and failures. The analysis of databases
of long-term restoration projects is very
useful, like the world restoration database launched by UNEP-WCMC (http://
www.unepwcmc.org/forest/restoration/
database.htm) or the database of evaluated
restoration programmes in the Mediterranean (http://www.ceam.es/reaction/)
Criteria and indicators for monitoring (see
section Monitoring and Evaluation)
4. Future Needs
Restoration planning in landscapes or large
scales is still in its infancy. Much further work
is needed to rene and improve the planning
process and dene appropriate tools. Thus, specic work on restoration planning is highly
needed in the coming years, both in theory and
in practice. Learning from past restoration programmes and their successes and failures could
prove an efcient starting point. In time, lessons
might usefully be captured in a step-by-step
guidebook or manual specically on this
subject and perhaps with associated software
programmes if appropriate.
References
Aronson, J., Floret, C., Le Floch, E., Ovalle, C., and
Pontanier, R. 1993. Restoration and rehabilitation
of degraded ecosystems in arid and semi-arid
lands. I. A view from the south. Restoration
Ecology 1:817.
Clewell, A., and Rieger, J.P. 1997. What practitioners
need from restoration ecologists. Restoration
Ecology 5(4):350354.
Pickett, S.T.A., and Parker, V.T. 1994. Avoiding old
pitfalls: opportunities in a new discipline. Restoration Ecology 2(2):7579.
Vallauri, D., Aronson, J., and Barbro, M. 2002. An
analysis of forest restoration 120 years after reforestation of badlands in the south-western Alps.
Restoration Ecology 10(1):1626.
Wyant, J.G., Meganck, R.A., and Ham, S.H. 1995a. A
planning and decision-making framework for ecological restoration. Environmental Management
6:789796.
Wyant, J.G., Meganck, R.A., and Ham, S.H. 1995b.
The need for an environmental restoration decision framework. Ecological Engineering 5:417
420.
Section V
Identifying and Addressing
Challenges/Constraints
10
Assessing and Addressing Threats in
Restoration Programmes
Doreen Robinson

Threats may be direct, indirect, or potential.
Before undertaking a large-scale restoration
effort, it is important to understand threats
in all three categories.
A variety of tools for undertaking threat
assessment and integrating the results into
forest restoration programmes have been
tested around the world. In most cases, tools
will need to be used in conjunction with
others or may need to be modied to t local
circumstances.
A key challenge for restoration programmes
is to expand the breadth of expertise integrated into assessment and analysis through
multidisciplinary teams.
1. Background and
The key to any successful restoration programme lies in good project design that is based
on sound science, a thorough understanding of
threats and opportunities, and a strategic and
pragmatic suite of interventions chosen to mitigate identied threats while capitalising on key
opportunities. A comprehensive threat assessment goes beyond merely identifying the
factors, behaviours, and practices that pose a
challenge to forest restoration, but includes an
analysis of the underlying social, economic, and

political incentives that drive such behaviours.
1.1. Information Needed for

Threat Assessment
For restoration programmes, a good threat
assessment provides actionable information
that can be used to dene the scope of interventions. Information should be timely, veriable, and collected in a cost- and time-effective
manner. Restoration programmes are not
immune to the all too common pitfall of investing considerable time and resources in collecting a tremendous amount of data that, while
perhaps new and interesting, is not particularly
relevant to making decisions about the best
way to undertake restoration activities. To
avoid this pitfall it is often useful to frame a
threat assessment by exploring different types
of threatsdirect, indirect, and potential.
1.2. Types of Threats

Direct threats are those with immediate and
clear causal links to the negative impact of
forest degradation or loss. Indirect threats,
often referred to as root causes,101 are the
underlying drivers behind direct threats. Potential threats are those threats that, while currently not posing a signicant challenge to
forest restoration, have the potential to under-
101
Wood et al. 2000.
73
74
D. Robinson
mine such investments in the future. Given that

forest restoration is a necessarily long-term
conservation intervention, it is important to
include such a temporal component in threat
analysis.
For restoration programmes around the
world a number of common direct threats have
been identied, including habitat fragmentation, unsustainable use, and overharvesting
of forest resources, pollution, and invasive
speciesall contributing to the breakdown of
ecological processes that are critical to the
healthy functioning of natural forest systems.
Underlying drivers of such threats are often
related to policies that favour rapid and unsustainable conversion of forests for short-term
economic gains. Markets for forest products,
including global markets for products like
timber and palm oil or local markets for fuelwood, can drive forest degradation and loss,
particularly when market dynamics externalise
true costs.
Persistent conict and civil unrest may force
local dependence on forest resources to expand
rapidly, given both a lack of alternatives to meet
livelihood needs or an inux of migrants and
displaced persons eeing from conict zones
into forest areas. Moreover, in many cases,
forest resources are the only resources readily
available to generate the cash necessary to continue such conicts. In such situations, the
prospects for successful restoration are limited
if underlying governance and conict issues are
not addressed.
Other common indirect threats to forest
restoration include a lack of knowledge and
skills regarding the science and research behind
appropriate habitat restoration and a lack of
technical capacity to implement activities on
the ground. A lack of political will and broad
stakeholder support for restoration activities
plagues many restoration programmes worldwide. Such a lack of support is often tied to a
perception of high transaction costs or limited
benets associated with undertaking restoration. Given the time frame required for restoration projects, both a lack of sustained nancial
resources and unsure resource and land tenure
rights combined can create a strong disincentive for undertaking restoration activities.
2. Examples
2.1. Madagascar
In southern Madagascar the U.S. Agency for
International Development is partnering with
the Communes of Ampasy-Nahampoana and
Mandromodromotra, the Department of Water
and Forests (La Circonscription des Eaux et
FortsCIREF) and QIT Madagascar Minerals
(QMM) to undertake forest restoration activities in the Mandena Conservation Zone. The
regions forests are highly fragmented as a
result of extraction of forest resources to meet
the rising fuelwood needs of a growing population and increasing slash-and-burn agriculture,
among other threats. This is one of the poorest
regions of Madagascar, and the reliance of local
populations on the forests to meet livelihood
needs is driving forest loss and degradation.
A thorough understanding of the threats and
opportunities of this region identied by QMM
in collaboration with the communes, community leaders, and regional government representatives produced a diverse set of innovative
activities intended to mitigate direct threats of
forest fragmentation and indirect threats associated with poverty. For example, in exchange
for rights to mine ilmenite across the region
intended to stimulate economic growth and
generate income within the regionQMM has
agreed to invest in forest restoration in blocks
adjacent to existing protected areas of primary
forest harbouring signicant biodiversity. The
restoration will not only expand the area of
contiguous forest, but also improve the health
of the forest, protect critical water cycling
processes, and is also tied to investment and
development of ecotourism in the region. To
mitigate deforestation of remaining intact areas
driven by increasing local demand for fuelwood
and charcoal, plantations of fast-growing
species on already degraded or deforested land
are also being supported.
Even with a solid understanding of threats,
the ability to address forest restoration, biodiversity, and local development needs in
southern Madagascar is certainly not without
challenges. A lack of knowledge and capacity in
local forest ecology made the identication of
10. Assessing and Addressing Threats in Restoration Programmes
relevant native pioneer species a signicant

challenge, requiring over 8 years of research
and a multimillion dollar investment to develop
appropriate protocols for forest restoration.
Perhaps the greatest challenges faced by partners now are how to scale up interventions
beyond initial target restoration sites and to
engage new collaborators in order to effectively
address the true magnitude of threats driving
forest degradation and loss across the entire
region.
2.2. Atlantic Forest in Argentina

In the Andresito region of Misiones, Argentina,
Fundacin Vida Silvestre Argentina (FVSA)
and WWF are helping to restore key areas of
forest adjacent to the Green Corridor, the
largest remaining area of contiguous Atlantic
forest in the world. The area has been signicantly deforested by rapidly growing human
populations to support small-scale agriculture
and meet human fuelwood needs.
To develop a detailed restoration strategy for
the region, FVSA undertook a thorough analysis of threats and opportunities, combining onthe-ground surveys, economic analyses, and
GIS tools. FVSA began by developing detailed
land use maps for each parcel of land in the
region based on the current tenure. Detailed
land use maps were then overlaid with biological and socioeconomic data to identify key
opportunities for creating forest restoration
corridors that could meet overarching forest
restoration goals. Research on biodiversityfriendly production practices for local forest
and shade products was also undertaken with
several universities in Argentina to assess
potential economic gains from alternative conservation friendly enterprises. Pilot restoration
plots using different species and production
techniques were established to assess both ecological and economic costs and benets (also
see case study Finding Economically Sustainable Means of Preserving and Restoring the
Atlantic Forest in Argentina). With poverty on
the rise in the region, alternative income generation opportunities are a critical incentive
for landowners to begin undertaking forest
restoration.
75
Armed with these analyses and research

results, FVSA continues to engage in a participatory process with individual private
landowners, local cooperatives, government
representatives, and others to develop appropriate long-term land use management options
that include a mix of reforestation, timber harvesting, nontimber forest product production,
and other uses. By including a spatially explicit
component of such land use management plans,
stakeholders are continuously able to see not
only how restoration practices benet them, but
also how they are contributing to a broader
sustainable vision for the entire region. Currently, the major challenge for this project
also involves scaling up. FVSA is focussed
on helping stakeholders expand the adoption
of new production alternatives, sustainable
resource use management practices, and developing carbon credit schemes to mitigate high
restoration costs in order to achieve restoration
goals over the long term.
2.3. Using a Three-Dimensional

Model to Identify Threats
in Vietnam
In the area surrounding the Song Thanh Nature
Reserve in the Quang Nam Province of
Vietnam, WWF and partners undertook a participatory landscape planning process with
community members from nine villages.102 A
papier-mch 1 : 10,000 model of the 30,000hectare landscape surrounding the reserve
was used to facilitate planning and decision
making amongst villagers and forestry sector
employees.
Using paints, pins, and yarn to depict land
use, natural resource elements, threats, and
relationships, animated discussions and debates
helped inform an integrated management plan
focussed on a suite of protection, management,
and restoration activities. In particular, through
the modelling process, threats from illegal gold
mining activities were identied and hotly
debated, and have been raised with relevant
authorities. Elderly people, women, and children were all able to contribute to the model102
Hardcastle et al, 2004.
76
D. Robinson
A variety of tools for undertaking threat assessment and integrating such analysis into forest
restoration programmes have been tested
around the world. While no one tool is ideal for
all situations, certain aspects are useful for programme implementers to consider when selecting and modifying existing tools to meet specic
forest restoration goals, including stakeholder
participation, exibility/adaptability of analysis,
costs (e.g., time, human resources, nancial
resources, etc.), iterative nature of information
gathering and analyses, processes to include
new and updated information, communicability
of outputs to appropriate audiences, and ability
to incorporate different types of data (i.e., qualitative vs. quantitative).
Research studies, literature reviews, ecological and socioeconomic surveys, focus groups,
and key informant interviews are all techniques
that are used to gather relevant information
needed to undertake threat analyses. A number
of tools can be used, singularly or in combination, to carry out the actual analysis.
Conceptual modelling103 is commonly used
to show linkages and complex relationships
between threats and their impacts while providing a strategic framework for thinking about
appropriate project interventions. Conceptual
models explicitly identify the restoration
factors that programmes are intended to inuence while characterising both direct and indirect forces affecting these factors. Conceptual
models are particularly good for teasing out

root causes, integrating interdisciplinary perspectives and are generally supported by a mix
of quantitative and qualitative background
data. They can be quite participatory if multiple stakeholders are brought in as part of facilitated discussions. However, conceptual models
can get very complex and make it challenging
to identify and prioritise interventions.
Threat matrices are a useful way to link
threat assessment to project goals and specic
activities. Matrices can vary from relatively
simple to complex logframes where forest
restoration targets are explicitly stated, with
relevant threats, activities, and potential indicators for monitoring change over time explicitly
tied to these targets. Matrices are good for tying
threat analysis to specic activities and strategic interventions and are easily updated as
adaptive management is practised. The underlying assumptions linking threats to targets and
activities can be obscure and should be explicitly stated and supported by both qualitative
and quantitative analysis.
Threat mapping104 can be used to assess
threats for a forest restoration areain the
form of either a pictorial map or 3D models
made out of clay, wood, or other materials (see
above example in Vietnam).These maps are the
basis for discussion of changes in forest habitat
quantity or quality, often with community
groups. The process involves facilitated discussion to ensure that different members of the
community with differential knowledge of
threats offer their insights. For example, elders
may have knowledge of the historical extent of
the forest, women and men may have very different perceptions of threats related to the different forest resources they use and manage,
and so on. When used appropriately this is
a highly participatory tool that effectively
incorporates qualitative data and generates a
product that multiple stakeholders can use.
Threat mapping is often most effective when
used in combination with some of the other
more quantitatively oriented tools.
GIS-based tools offer more advanced threat
mapping by reecting quantitative data in
103
104
ling exercise, facilitating broader community

involvement in decision making and buy-in
for the planning process. While the threedimensional (3D) mapping of threats provided
a good way to engage communities in restoration planning, solid facilitation and conict resolution skills were critical in ensuring success.
This relatively cost-effective activity is now
being replicated in other areas in the region in
order to develop an integrated land and
resource management plan at a larger landscape scale.
3. Outline of Tools
Robinson, 2000; WCS, 2004.
Biodiversity Support Programme, 1995.
10. Assessing and Addressing Threats in Restoration Programmes
sophisticated spatial maps. Direct threats, such

as habitat fragmentation, can be represented in
maps by showing changes in data over time.
GIS-based threat assessment tools can range
from simple maps that reect data collected
on the ground to complex decision-support
systems incorporating threat data into programmes that model alternative scenarios and
outcomes using criteria established by users.
Visual products reect alternative scenarios,
and an appropriate and transparent criteria and
value-setting process can help generate signicant buy-in from stakeholders engaged in the
process.These tools are heavily reliant on quantiable data, and depending on the specic
technology, their utility may suffer from limited
or unreliable data. GIS-based threat assessment requires technical skills and equipment.
These tools are particularly useful for generating baseline data sets and for monitoring change over time from restoration
interventions.
4. Future Needs
A key challenge to forest restoration programmes is more effective integration of relevant threat analysis that is critical for making
pragmatic and real decisions. Threat analysis
has been seen as a discrete background
research activity that, once completed, often
gets put on a shelf, never to be revisited as part
of strategic programme development and adaptive management. The gap between threat
assessment, often seen as primarily scientic
and academic investigations, and actual project
implementation needs to be more effectively
breached.
To improve the rigour and utility of threat
assessments for forest restoration, approaches
for undertaking integrated and multidisciplinary analyses also need to be rened.
Biologists, social scientists, conservation practitioners, policy makers, economists, community
leaders, and investors all bring a different lens
to threat analysis. Through a combined view of
77
the factors affecting restoration, more informed

and pragmatic decisions can be made regarding
trade-offs that inevitably must be made in the
real world.
References
Biodiversity Support Programme. 1995. Indigenous
peoples, mapping and biodiversity conservation:
An analysis of current activities and opportunities
for applying geomatics technologies. Washington,
DC, 83 pp.
Hardcastle, J., Rambaldi, G., Long, B., Le Van Lanh,
and Do Quoc Son. 2004. The use of participatory
three-dimensional modelling in community-based
planning in Quang Nam province, Vietnam. PLA
Notes 49:7076.
Robinson, D. 2000. Assessing Root CausesA
Users Guide. WWF Macroeconomics Programme
Ofce, Washington, DC, 40 pp.
Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). 2004. Creating conceptual modelsa tool for thinking strategically. Living Landscapes Technical Manual 2,
8 pp.
Wood, A., Stedman-Edwards, P., and Mang, J. 2000.
The Root Causes of Biodiversity Loss. WWF/
Earthscan, 398 pp.
Additional Reading
Salafsky, N., and Margoluis, R. 1999. Threat reduction
assessment to: a practical and cost-effective
approach to evaluating Conservation and Development Projects. Conservation Biology 13(14):
830841.
Verolme, H.J.H., and Moussa, J. 1999. Addressing the
Underlying Causes of Deforestation and Forest
DegradationCase Studies, Analysis and Policy
Recommendations. Biodiversity Action Network,
Washington, DC, 141 pp.
Wildlife Conservation Society. 2004. Participatory
spatial assessment of human activitiesa tool for
conservation planning. Living Landscapes Technical Manual 1, 12 pp.
WWF. 2000. A guide to socio-economic assessments
for ecoregion conservation. Ecoregional Conservation Strategies Unit, 18 pp.
11
Perverse Policy Incentives
Kirsten Schuyt

Many government incentive programmes in
reforestation and afforestation suffer from
poor design, lack of enforcement, and lack of
monitoring, and are aimed at short-term
tree-planting activities.
As a result, government support for such
schemes acts as a perverse incentive that can
sometimes undermine efforts at introducing more balanced or equitable forms of
restoration.
Instead, incentives need to be redirected
toward a wider more integrated approach.
This allows broader benets to society, the
involvement of local partners and stakeholders, and effective monitoring and
evaluation.
1. Background and
In some countries, government incentives for
particular kinds of restoration have distorted
approaches to the conservation, restoration,
and management of forests. Government incentives to the forest industry for restoring forest
cover have traditionally been aimed mainly at
supporting plantation development. In light of
the nancial costs of these incentive schemes,
and criticism from some environment and
78
social welfare groups, questions have been

raised about the economic, environmental,
and social benets of these schemes. Although
many public incentives in forestry have provided some employment and income opportunities, questions remain about the overall costs
of such schemes and about who will bear these
costs in the longer term. For example, some
studies have pointed out social and equity concerns when subsidies are captured by a few
actors, such as large companies and landowners.
In Chile, 80 percent of public incentive payments for the establishment of plantations have
gone to three companies.105 Other poorly
designed incentive schemes have resulted in
increased conversion of natural forests and
land degradation. The key question is: Are
public funds for afforestation and reforestation
directed toward projects that provide net benets to society?
A case study review by Perrin106 showed that
government incentive programmes in reforestation and afforestation activities tend to
suffer from poor design, a lack of enforcement
mechanisms, and little or no monitoring. Public
incentives are often applied for short-term tree
planting activities that inadequately address
sustainability, biodiversity, and livelihood concerns. Little emphasis is paid to ensuring that
public incentives contribute to restoring forest
functions and resources, and they seldom
benet from adequate stakeholder participa105
106
Bazett and Associates, 2000.

Perrin, 2003.
11. Perverse Policy Incentives
tion. There is also a general lack of adequate

monitoring and enforcement mechanisms,
meaning that incentives are easily misused.
The Convention on Biological Diversity107
identies three common types of perverse
policy incentives:
Environmentally perverse government subsidies: Many different denitions exist in the
literature as to what a subsidy is. In general,
they include direct subsidies (such as grants
and payments to consumers or producers);
tax policies (tax credits, exemptions, allowances, and so on); capital cost subsidies
(preferential loans or debt forgiveness);
public provision of public goods and services
below cost; and policies that create transfers
through the market mechanism (such as
price regulations and quantity controls).
Such subsidies may have a negative impact
on biological resources by directly encouraging behaviour that leads to biodiversity loss.
Another example of perverse effects of subsidies is that they may drain scarce public
nances that could have been used to conserve biodiversity.
Persistence of environmental externalities:
Some governmental policies may contribute
to the persistence of negative externalities.
For example, government policies may weaken
traditional property rights systems, where such
rights reside within customary law or cultural
traditions. This absence of well-dened property rights at private or communal level
may lead to pollution and overexploitation
of natural resources, resulting in negative
externalities or costs to third parties.
Laws and customary practices governing
resource use: An example of formal law generating perverse incentives is benecial use
laws requiring land users to make productive
use of water and forest resources to secure
land entitlement. On the other hand, the
clearing of land may be rooted in customary
law to indicate a claim to an area, leading to
perverse incentives.
Perverse incentive schemes, however, can be
redirected to promote restoration practices that
107
CBD, 2002.
79
will offer benets to conservation and to a wide

range of stakeholders. In this respect, forest
landscape restoration offers important tools for
good practices in restoration, and the key lies
in promoting these tools to redirect existing
perverse incentive schemes toward restoration
that benets conservation and society. Some
examples are provided below.
2. Examples108
2.1. Public Incentives for Plantation
Development, Indonesia
Deforestation is a major problem in Indonesia.
The Indonesian government began promoting
the development of industrial tree plantations
in the 1980s to boost industrial development
in wood-based industries and the oil palm
sector. Several government incentives were
put in place to stimulate timber plantation
development, including interest-free loans, allocation of state-owned land, absence of land
taxes, and so on. Large sums of money could
also be obtained through the Reforestation
Fund. Another incentive came from the
International Monetary Fundbacked restructuring of the corporate and banking sector in
the late 1990s, which was poorly implemented
and led to subsidies and nancing being provided to badly managed and corrupt forest
companies.
In an attempt to redirect some of these
public incentives,WWF, the global conservation
organisation, has collaborated with the Centre
for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)
to restructure debt agreements related to the
forest and oil palm assets of the Indonesian
Bank Restructuring Agency. This reform is to
include a series of checks and balances among
the state, private sector, and civil society to mitigate structural pressures on the economy and
forests, which should help prevent the use of
funding for unsustainable and sometimes illegal
plantation development as has happened in the
past.
108
Perrin, 2003.
80
K. Schuyt
2.2. CAP and SAPARD

Forestry-Related Incentives,
European Union
Two key programmes of the European Commission (EC) that provide incentives for
afforestation and reforestation are the Community Regulation Directive 2080/92 (later
introduced as part of the Common Agricultural
Policy, CAP), which promotes afforestation of
agricultural land, and the Special Action for
Pre-Accession Measures for Agriculture and
Rural Development (SAPARD), which focusses
on rural development in European Union
(EU) accession countries and includes funding for afforestation. Both of these schemes
have been widely criticised as perverse incentives (also see the case study that follows this
chapter).
Under the CAP, detailed analysis in 1997
suggested that the decrease in utilised agricultural land was marginal and that the role
of afforestation under CAP had been overestimated. Also, the application of the directive varied between member states, with six
countries accounting for more than 90 percent of total area planted. Lastly, the analysis
found examples where funds had been misspentfor instance, in Spain, where farmers
frequently planted, cleared, and replanted the
same plots, all with subsidised funds from the
EU.
Under SAPARD, it has been noted that the
procedures have proven to be a big burden for
many countries. In addition, concerns have
been raised about some of the damaging
impacts of SAPARD, such as the use of chemical protection, fence building, and construction
of new roads. Also, no requirements are given
under SAPARD for a minimum percentage
of native tree species to be planted or incentives to enhance environmentally sound management practices. Environmental measures
related to forests are only marginally included
in national plans.
WWF is working both in the context of
CAP and the EU enlargement process to
ensure that EC policies promote sustainable
rural development. For example, in 2001 WWF
undertook a comprehensive review study of

SAPARD-related forestry measures, and it
also took part in the midterm review of the
CAP. Some of the main issues that emerged
relate to improving monitoring and follow-up
with different beneciaries of afforestation
subsidies.
2.3. Grain-for-Green
Programme, China
The goal of Chinas Grain-for-Green programme, launched in 2000, was to convert steep
cultivated land to forest and pasture. It was initiated as a result of severe ooding in China
that was blamed on excessive logging and cultivation along the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers.
The programme is expected to turn more than
340,000 hectares of farmland and 430,000
hectares of bare mountain back to forests.
These activities are to be carried out by the
communities and subsidised by the government. In return for afforestation and reforestation activities, communities receive grain, cash,
and seedlings.
The positive effects of the incentive programme so far are that the incentives have
contributed to afforestation and reforestation activities as well as natural forest protection. However, the long-term sustainability
of the programme remains uncertain along
with its ability to prevent soil erosion. Much
restoration has involved planting orchards
on steep slopes, which do little or nothing to
stop soil erosion. An important weakness of
the programme has been a lack of monitoring
and virtually no evaluation of the policy
implementation.
The Chinese government has been open to
reviewing its scheme following preliminary recommendations by WWF. The Centre for International Forestry Research has also undertaken
a thorough assessment of the lessons learned
from this scheme (see Local Participation,
Livelihood Needs, and Institutional Arrangements) as well as other reforestation/rehabilitation efforts in China and provided a number
of concrete recommendations.
11. Perverse Policy Incentives
3. Outline of Tools
Options to remove or mitigate public perverse
incentives in the forestry sector are described
here. Perrin109 recommends redirecting public
incentives within the context of the forest
landscape restoration approach. This means
governments and donor agencies need to (1)
allocate resources to the development of alternative forms of afforestation and reforestation
activities that provide broader benets to the
environment and society, (2) involve local partners and stakeholders in incentive schemes
(mechanisms for consultation and participation
need to be put in place), and (3) spend resources
on regulating the application of incentive programmes for afforestation and reforestation
activities and monitoring the impacts of such
activities (including developing sets of indicators and criteria to assist monitoring). This
needs to be accompanied by the necessary
policy measures, institutional arrangements,
and monitoring and compliance mechanisms.
In this respect, the CBD110 recommends three
ideal phases:
Identify policies or practices that generate
perverse incentives. This includes: analysing
underlying causes of biodiversity loss, identifying the nature and scope of perverse incentives, identifying costs and benets to society
from removing the perverse incentives, doing
a strategic environmental assessment, and
so on.
Design and implement appropriate reform
policies. Reforms can include the total
removal of policies or practices, or their
replacement with other policies with the
same objectives but without perverse incentives, or with the introduction of additional
policies, and so on.
Monitor, enforce, and evaluate these reform
policies.This includes institutional and administrative capacity building, development of
sound indicators, stakeholder involvement,
and transparency.
109
110
Perrin, 2003.
CBD, 2002.
81
4. Future Needs
Despite the fact that numerous suggestions on
how to address perverse policy incentives can
be found (as described in the previous section),
the reality is that many perverse policies still
exist in the forestry sector. The key need is to
start putting these new policies into practice,
including the need for redirecting public incentives toward a forest landscape restoration
approach at all levels in cases where policies
have promoted habitat alteration or destruction and unsustainable use of natural resources.
We also need to improve our understanding of
the impacts caused by policies and practices on
biodiversity. In this respect, the CBD111 recommends undertaking further work on the use of
valuation tools to assess the extent and scope
of negative impacts of policies and practices on
biodiversity.
References
Bazett, M., and Associates. 2000. Public Incentives for
Industrial Tree Plantations. WWF, Gland, Switzerland, and IUCN, Gland, Switzerland.
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). 2002.
Proposals for the Application of Ways and Means
to Remove or Mitigate Perverse Incentives. Note by
the Executive Secretary, Quebec, Canada.
Perrin, M. 2003. Incentives for Forest Landscape
Restoration: Maximizing Benets for Forests and
People. WWF Discussion Paper, WWF, Gland,
Switzerland.
Additional References
Myers, N., and Kent, J. 1998. Perverse SubsidiesTax
$ Undercutting our Economies and Environments
Alike. International Institute for Sustainable
Development, Winnipeg, Canada.
Sizer, N. 2000. Perverse Habits, the G8 and Subsidies
the Harm Forests and Economies. World
Resources Institute, Washington, DC.
111
CBD, 2002.
Case Study: The European Unions

Afforestation Policies and Their Real
Impact on Forest Restoration
Stephanie Mansourian and Pedro Regato
The European Commission has been promoting afforestation since 1992 under the
Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) (Directive 2080/92) as a solution to reducing agricultural land and therefore, agricultural
surpluses (which are currently supported
nancially through subsidies). More recently
a sister scheme has been developed, the
Special Action for Pre-accession Measures
for Agriculture and Rural Development
(SAPARD), which is applicable to European
Union (EU) accession countries and covers
the period 2000 to 2006, with a budget of over
333 million Euros.
Today, Directive 2080/92 is part of the Rural
Development Regulation (RDR), which
establishes a new framework for European
Community support for sustainable rural
development.
While the afforestation measures under the
EU had spent four billion euros by 1999 and
planted 900,000 hectares of trees, the results
in terms of the original aims of the scheme,
and also in terms of restoring forest cover and
forest functionality remained disappointing.
Some of the key problems with the CAP
afforestation directive include the following:
Limited role in taking land out of agriculture: In most member states, only 1.3 to 1.4
percent of land has actually been set aside
from agriculture following its application.
Conicting objectives: While the subsidy
scheme was largely centred around taking
82
land out of agriculture, many governments

and companies used the scheme to establish
timber plantations. In Ireland, for example,
the subsidies were used to establish plantations with a high economic return (Sitka
spruce, pines) in order to achieve the
countrys aim to double its forest area over
the next 30 years.
Unequal distribution of subsidies and
double dipping: Six countries accounted
for more than 90 percent of the total area
planted (Spain, the U.K., Portugal, Ireland,
Italy, and France). In addition, individual
examples show that funds were easily misspent. In Spain, the largest recipient of the
EU afforestation funds, double dipping
was discovered to be common, with farmers
planting, clearing, and replanting the same
plots all with subsidised funds from the
EU.
Unnecessary manipulation of natural
processes: In many cases, subsidies were
applied to reforest areas that were regenerating naturally. It is estimated that up to
62.5 percent of the area beneting from the
subsidy did not actually qualify as producing an oversupply of crops.
Inappropriate methods and species: Over
65 percent of afforestation was carried out
in areas believed at risk of re under
Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2158/92 on
protection of the communitys forests
against re. Planting was often done in an
ad hoc fashion, without selecting optimal
Case Study: The European Unions Afforestation Policies
areas to restore forest cover, nor were these

properly integrated into land use plans.
References
Perrin, M. 2003. Incentives for forest landscape
restoration: maximizing benets for forests and
83
people. WWF Discussion Paper, WWF, Gland,

Switzerland.
Report to Parliament and the Council on the application of Regulation No. 2080/92 instituting a
community aid scheme for forestry measures in
agriculture, 1996.
12
Land Ownership and
Forest Restoration
Gonzalo Oviedo

Forest ownership regimes matter for forest
restoration because the end result of restoration, the trees, are the centrepieces of the
ecosystem, and their consequent, associated
goods and ecological services are of direct
value to people. The ownership regime
determines how such goods and services are
accessed and distributed, and therefore, is
the basis for restoration incentives.
It is necessary to undertake further research
on experiences (successful and unsuccessful)
of forest restoration under different types of
ownership, to better understand how ownership rights systems impact on the results.
1. Background and
1.1. Forest Ownership:
An Overview
The reports Who Owns the Worlds Forests112
and Who Conserves the Worlds Forests?113
indicate that globally, 77 percent of forestlands
are owned by governments, 7 percent by indigenous and local communities, and 12 percent by
individual and corporate landowners, and that
in the last 15 years the forest area owned and
112
113
84
White and Martin, 2002.

Molnar et al, 2004.
administered by indigenous and local communities has doubled, reaching nearly 400 million
hectares. This reects important changes in
forest ownership worldwide.
This chapter discusses the relationships
between forest ownership and restoration,
more specically, the implications of the
various types and conditions of forest ownership for successful restoration of forestlands.
The basic assumption in this chapter is that
forest ownership regimes matter for restoration
because the end result of forest restoration,
trees, are the centrepieces of the ecosystem, and
their consequent, associated goods and ecological services are of direct value to people. In
other words, the basic nature of the link
between forest ownership and forest restoration is the fact that forest owners (whatever
their specic regime and bundles of rights) are
driven to restore (or not) by the expectation of
goods and services that restored forests offer.
1.2. Denitions
The literature often does not distinguish tenure
from property or ownership of forests,
although in a more general sense tenure could
be linked to custom-dened bundles of rights
that are socially acknowledged, and property
would be identied as a status in which customary tenure becomes more institutional through
legal and political procedures and means.
Ownership or property itself is in essence a
bundle of rights which are dened according to
the nature of the subject and the legal frame-
12. Land Ownership and Forest Restoration
work in a given situation. Such rights can be

listed114 as the rights to (1) possess and exclusively physically control, (2) use, (3) manage, (4)
draw income, (5) transmit or destroy capital, (6)
have protection from expropriation, (7) dispose
of interest on death, (8) potentially hold property forever, (9) reversionary/residual interests
arising on expiration, (10) liability to seizure for
debts, and (11) prohibitions on harmful use.
There are many differences in the way in which
these various rights are dened and apply to
forests in different countries and social and historical contexts; some of these specic rights
appear to be particularly important when
dealing with sustainable forest management
and forest restoration, as will be discussed later.
The literature distinguishes four main types
of property applicable to lands and forests:
private (individual or corporative), state, common or communal, and open access. These
systems have been studied extensively, and
their advantages and disadvantages with regard
to natural resource use are well documented
(for a useful typology and comparative analysis, see GTZ, 1998).
In country regimes of the 20th and 21st centuries, the rule for forest ownership is typically
a combination of these four types of property,
with signicant changes in the composition of
property according to historical moments and
with great differences among countries. Generally, however, the predominant pattern is for
the majority of forest areas to be in the hands
of government, and only a small proportion
being communal forests. In modern times,
legally speaking there is little if any open access
in forestlands, as any forestlands without
private owners are automatically converted by
law to state lands. In practice, however, stateowned forest has in many cases meant open
access, as governments, particularly in developing countries, have had little capacity to control
access to their forests. In developing countries,
however, the establishment of large stateowned forest areas was in most cases the result
of the expropriation of forestlands from their
traditional users, who until colonial times were
owners of those lands (or parts of them) under
114
Ziff, 1993, cited by Clogg, 1997.
85
customary tenure. In this sense, and in cases

where traditional forest-owning communities
still exist and inhabit their traditional lands,
there is an overlap of state property and communal, customary tenure.
Partly due to the recognition of customary
tenure as legal communal (or individual) property, forest ownership is undergoing a major
change in the world, with the main trend being
the transfer or devolution of ownership rights
to the local level, and the consequent expansion
of community-owned forests.
1.3. Degree of Dependence

on Forests
From the perspective of goods and services that
forests (standing or future) offer, there are
roughly two types of owners: forest-dependent
people and nonforest-dependent people (and
institutions). This distinction is important
because of the expectations of the end result
of forest restoration and their implications.
Forest-dependent communities basically expect
from restored forests an array of goods and
services of direct economic value. They may
value other associated benets, such as ecological services at a landscape scaleclimate
change mitigation, regulation of the hydrological cycle, watershed protection, etc.but they
will normally not place higher values on associated ecological services than on those related
to direct forest produce.115 In the cases of
nonforest-dependent owners, such as the
absentee forest owner and the state and public
agencies, the scale and hierarchy of values may
vary for some areas, and their expectations,
therefore, may not directly be linked to the
economic importance of forest produce, but to
ecosystem protection and services, biodiversity
conservation, aesthetic aspects (which in turn
can become economic values for example from
tourism), etc.
115
Some exceptions exist to the hierarchy of values of

forest restoration from the perspective of forest-dependent
owners, but they are exceptions that do not contradict the
primary expectations on forest produce or alternative
livelihoods. For example, this is the case of restoration of
degraded forest areas with sacred or particular spiritual
value to local communities.
86
G. Oviedo
1.4. Ownership of Land but Also of

Forest Goods and Services
Forest ownership differs signicantly from
other types of land and resource tenureagricultural land, for example. The differences rely
basically on the wide array of goods and services of the forest, and more specically on the
fact that forest ownership consists of a complex
mixture of three types of ownership rights:
rights to the land, rights to the forest resources,
and rights to the trees. Further, ownership
rights in forestlands overlap frequently with,
and are different from, user rights. As Neef and
Schwarzmeier116 illustrate for Southeast Asia, in
some cases groups or individuals holding the
property of the land recognise rights of other
individuals or groups to use the trees existing
on that land, as long as there are no competing
uses over the trees. There could even be multiple layers of rights on a single plot of land; for
example, when a group or individual has property on the land, another group has rights on
nontimber forest products, and another group
holds rights on timber exploitation.
1.5. Opportunity Cost and

Intergenerational Equity
Tree growth takes place over long or relatively
long periods, when the forest ecosystem under
restoration can offer only limited services;
therefore, we are dealing with situations where
there is a high, or relatively high, opportunity
cost in the use of the land for forest-dependent
people. In these conditions, only signicant
incentives and economic alternatives can cover
the opportunity cost of forest restoration. The
nature of benets and incentives from forest
restoration in terms of the time horizon (especially in cases of slow-maturing tree species)
adds a time perspective to tenure security. For
forest owners and users, it is not sufcient to
know that their rights to forests and trees are
secure now; it is more important to know that
they will be secure and enforceable after one
generation or more. In this sense, changing
ownership and rights policies are even worse
116
Neef and Schwarzmeier, 2001.
than the absence of them, since they cause a

great lack of condence in restoration as something socially benecial.
1.6. Stability of Forest Ownership

In the case of China, Liu Dachang116a nds no
conclusive evidence that user rights on trees are
the best option (e.g., compared to state regulations), but does nd evidence that changing
rights policies were the basis of ups and downs
in forest cover, and especially that lack of stability of forest ownership policies was the main
reason for decline in forest cover and tree
planting in certain periods; in fact, over approximately 25 years of Chinas modern history
(from 1956 to the early 1980s), there was a succession of at least ve major forest ownership
policy paradigms, thus an average of a major
policy change every 5 years. In practice, a few
years after villagers planted trees, a major
policy change would affect dramatically their
rights to those trees and forests. The results
were simply lack of condence in the system
and lack of incentives for tree planting.
Generally, the evidence is that where tenure
security was greatest, tree planting was most
successful. Tenure security means basically
three levels: land tenure security, forest ownership security, and also user rights security.
1.7. Communal Systems

Several researchers have pointed to the fact
that communal forest tenure, especially in
conditions of market economies, requires a
critical group size to be effective, where
enforcement of rights and regulations can be
optimally implemented, and where economies
of scale and diversication make opportunity
costs affordable, particularly when the community has to invest in forest restoration or reforestation. In other words, in any particular
situation of communal forest ownership, it
seems that there is a certain size of the group
where forest management works best; if it is too
small or too big, management is inefcient.
In many places, forest communities have
tended to solve this issue by establishing a dual
community/user group system, where forest
116a
Dachang, 2001.
ownership remains at the community level, but

user rights (especially for trees) are allocated
to smaller groups that act as forest management units. For example, in Honduras groupbased management has proven better than
community-based management, but the experience also shows that links between both are
critical at decision-making levels on broader
issues such as natural resources linked to
forests: What is required, therefore, is an institutional arrangement that retains forest management under group control, but which also
provides a protocol for liaison between group
and community and possibly some form of
prot-sharing117 i.e., an arrangement where
land and forest ownership remains in the community, where decision making for the entire
area or landscape lies, while user rights for trees
and other products are allocated to forestry
groups who act on behalf of the community.
The same logic applies to the duality
community-households in many communal
ownership regimes.
An effective articulation of forest ownership
and use rights between small units (even individuals) and larger units (community) seems
therefore a critical element for successful forest
management and restoration (although not the
only element, as already indicated). It is also a
fundamental tool to deal with the very important elements of equity and social stratication
or differentiation. It has been documented that
as much in agricultural lands as in forestlands,
the egalitarianism that dominated ideological
paradigms of agrarian reform and forest estate
reform in the 20th century produced large fragmentation of lands and forests as a result of the
distribution of family plots. The intention of
the reformers, who were probably aware of
the need to address problems of stratication
within rural communities, was to overcome
community differentiation by allocating equal
plots to all families.118
117
Markopoulos, 1999, p. 46.

As an example, in China, under the Land Reform Campaign initiated in 1950, all rural households in a given geographical area were given equal forest resources (Liu
Dachang, 2001, p. 241). Exceptions to this policy were Tibet
and the ethnic minority areas in the South of Yunnan,
where community forests were established.
118
87
In areas where this type of reform took place,

fragmentation often made forest management
extremely inefcient, and restoration virtually
impossible, as a critical size is required in
plots of forestland to make restoration or reforestation viable; tree planting in these conditions
is often reduced to small numbers of trees
around houses and within agricultural plots
normally fruit trees.
1.8. Equity Issues

Stratication of local communities in relation
to forest ownership is one of the equity issues
that need to be addressed in community-owned
forests. Experience shows that often the most
forest-dependent groups have the least user
rights, especially women,119 a situation that
creates obstacles to developing solid, longterm, rights-based incentives for forest restoration. As in the case of the relationship
group/community, nding the appropriate
articulation of forest ownership and use rights
between specic groups of users, including individual users, and larger units (forests groups
and communities), in a stable, long-term policy
framework, is critical to forest rehabilitation
success.
2. Examples
2.1. China: Restoration Benets
and Incentives
Liu Dachang120 has extensively researched the
experience of China on forest policies, and concludes that generally user rights on trees are of
greater importance than forest ownership per
se for sustainable management and particularly
for tree planting, reforestation, and restoration.
For example, Liu Dachang shows that despite
clear tenure policies on forestlands in China, in
periods of stringent protective regulations on
trees there was no incentive for reforestation;
strict market regulations, aimed at protecting
forests by discouraging commercialisation of
119
120

Dachang, 2001, 2003.
88
G. Oviedo
timber, ended up discouraging tree planting

and therefore slowing down or totally stopping
reforestation of degraded lands owned by
villagers. The conclusion here is that, at least in
the case of China, regulations to protect forests
by restricting tree owners rights to trees and
timber in fact removed incentives for tree
planting and therefore for reforestation and
restoration. Successful forest restoration
depends on incentives for tree owners to use
the trees when they are mature, and for forest
owners to use also other forest products and
services; it thus depends on the clarity, extent,
and enforceability of user and owner rights
over trees and forest products, where timber
use seems to play a major role.
But, if forest ownership rights are insufcient
or even ineffective for successful restoration
when not combined with user rights on trees
and products, total lack of regulations on the
use of timber and forest products can create
perverse market incentives, especially when the
conditions of clarity and enforceability of rights
are not present in other adjacent forest areas.
In such conditions, perverse market incentives
discourage owners and users from tree planting, as the pressures from unregulated markets
where competition exists from unsustainably
managed forest areas (for example, areas
subject to illegal timber extraction) would
make it impossible for forest owners to meet
the opportunity costs of tree planting and forest
restoration.
2.2. Forest Rights in Ethnic Groups

of Thailand and Vietnam
The concept of individual rights to planted
trees on agricultural elds applies to virtually
all ethnic minority groups in the uplands of
northern Thailand and Vietnam,121 but there
are considerable differences in gender-specic
rights to plant trees due to distinct inheritance
laws.
In strictly patrilineal societies like the Hmong,
women are not allowed to inherit land. Thus, tree
planting by women is usually limited to the area
around the houses. . . . In contrast to the Hmong, the

Black Thai and Tay societies have strong matrilineal
elements. Although land inheritance of women is not
common, there are a few exceptions giving women
fully individual use rights, including the rights to
plant trees. . . . Marketing of forest products such as
bamboo shoots, medicinal plants and fuelwood is
mainly done by women. Despite the strong involvement of women in collection and marketing of products from the forests, they do not play a role in
setting management rules.121a
2.3. Strengthening User Rights for

Forest Restoration in Northeast
Highlands of Ethiopia122
The Meket district in the North Wollo administrative zone of Ethiopia ranges in altitude from
2000 to 3400 m above sea level and has a mix of
agroclimatic zones. Its inhabitants are almost
wholly dependent on agriculture. As rising
numbers of people have put more pressure on
the land, fallow periods have shortened, and
continuous ploughing has become commonplace. Local people say that within a generation, there has been dramatic deforestation, and
the grazing has declined in both quantity and
quality. Expanding cultivation and increasing
demand for wood have left even the steepest
slopes unprotected. Only about 8 percent of the
total area remains under forest. Much of the
rainfall is lost through runoff, causing severe
soil erosion and oods. Indigenous trees are not
commonly allowed to regenerate (except on
some church lands), and efforts to plant trees
have had little impact.
The Ethiopian people have had negative
experiences of land reallocation over the last 20
years, and are hence unwilling to invest effort
in reforestation or regeneration activities. Different types of forest ownership (individual,
church, service cooperative, and community)
can be found in the district, but none has
reversed the natural resource depletion.
Weak land-tenure and user rights were
clearly hindering effective community-led
environmental conservation in Meket.
121a
121
Neef and Schwarzmeier, 2001, p. 22.
122

International Institute of Rural Reconstruction, 2000.
In mid-1996, SOS Sahel, an international

nongovernmental organisation (NGO), began
working with local authorities and agriculture
ministry staff to seek a way to work with communities and solve these problems. Central to
these was the establishment of ofcial user
rights for villagers.
In the community reforestation project,
communities were allowed to dene their own
objectives for their sites, but long-term plans (5
to 10 years, or more if indigenous trees were
established) were required. Within communities, reforestation groups were established, and
each group decided how to share the benets
among its members, and this had to be included
in the management plan. Similarly, each village
developed its own strategy for guarding the site.
The proposed plan was then presented for
approval at the kebele (subdistrict) level by
relevant bodies: community representatives,
subdistrict ofcials, and church leaders. It was
then submitted to district ofcials and the agriculture ofce. If the plan was approved, ofcial
user rights were given to the group for their
site.
As a result of this approach, farmers participation in reforestation efforts increased. At
rst, 14 villages received ofcial user rights;
20 more communities have since become
involved, directly beneting more than 2000
households.
Natural regeneration of indigenous grass,
shrub, and tree species has been dramatic.
There are very clear differences when compared with unprotected sites.
Sufcient short-term benets have been
realisedsuch as improved forage and
increased production of thatching grassto
motivate communities to strengthen and
expand their enclosure sites.
More secure user rights have created condence among the communities. They have
expressed strong interest to plant indigenous
species (e.g., Hagenia abyssinica, Juniperus
procera, Olea africana) instead of eucalyptus.
Communities have started to expand their
sites, and new communities want to establish
their own enclosures. Some are seeking compensation from the subdistrict administration
for individual farmers who are cultivating land
89
within the future enclosures. Some villages have

even begun a similar process without outside
intervention or support.
Farmers seem to have accepted the introduction of cut-and-carry fodder systems. This may
prove to be one of the most signicant impacts
for the Ethiopian highlands.
2.4. Limited Success in the

Protection Forest Walomerah,
Indonesia123
The province of East Nusa Tenggara consists of
the main island of Flores, Sumba, the Western
part of Timor and a number of smaller islands.
In 1992 the population of the province totalled
3.3 million. With an average rainfall ranging
from 2196 mm in Manggarai district to 805 mm
in Alor district and not so fertile soils, the conditions for agriculture are not very favourable.
About 36 percent of the land area of the
island of Flores has by ministerial decree been
classied as forest land and one third of this
forest land as Protection Forests. The largest
part of this has in reality little or no tree cover
and has for generations been tilled by the population living there.
The protection forest of the mountain
Walomerah in Ngada district is one such area.
As part of the Presidential Instruction Programme (INPRES) for the development of
Indonesia, this particular protection forest was
to be reforested. The project, which began in
1995, was to start with the reforestation of 500
hectares, including part of the village Wangka,
which covers 9000 hectares. Almost all of the
2400 inhabitants secure their livelihoods from
subsistence farming, as their ancestors have
done for generations. They are totally dependent on the land. Their traditional rights to land
had been recognised by the government, but
all 9000 hectares of this village lie within the
protection forest. According to the legislation
applying to such areas, the villagers were not
allowed to occupy this area on a permanent
basis.
123
Vochten and Mulyana, 1995.
90
G. Oviedo
The Forest Service decided it was necessary

to consult with these villagers with the purpose
of better understanding their living situation
and see to what extent the reforestation project
could be modied to accommodate their needs
and aspirations. Several problems directly or
indirectly connected with the proposed reforestation were identied by the villagers who
took part in such consultations. The problem
concerning the status of their land tenure rights
surfaced as a key conict. Even though they
had been paying their land ownership taxes
regularly, rights to use forest products could not
be granted to them.
This key issue, land tenure rights, was not
solved in this reforestation project. Some useful
compromises were reached, and an attempt was
made to balance the undisputed need for reforestation with the primary need of farmers
land. But clearly it was not possible to move
ahead with enough condence in the projects
success without addressing further the issue of
land and forest produce rights.
secondary forests among national and local

stakeholders. 14) Strengthen the rights of forest
dwellers and indigenous people. 15) Establish a
transparent mechanism for conict resolution
where property and access rights are not clear.
16) Provide incentives for stabilizing colonists/
farmers in agricultural frontier zones.
3. Participatory rural appraisal (PRA) or
participatory rapid rural appraisal have been
described many times in the literature.124 A
methodological illustration of a PRA exercise
for forest restoration in Indonesia125 is as
follows:
The PRA facilitator team included 14 people:
from the government . . . , from local NGOs . . . ,
and the authors. . . . The main actors were the residents of two of the four hamlets of the village
Wangka, which adjoined the proposed reforestation site. They collected the information, analysed
the problems, considered the options, and drew
up the nal reforestation plan. The facilitators
supported this by introducing certain techniques
to structure the information. They also listened
and learned. The entire PRA lasted only three
days in the eld, from October 1214, 1993. It was
preceded by a one day gathering of the facilitators to exchange information about the PRA
techniques to be used and to inform themselves
about the village of Wangka. At the start of the
PRA, the facilitators introduced themselves and
the purpose of their visit and then split into two
groups each to cover one of the hamlets. On the
rst day a map of the village including the proposed reforestation site was made. Then a seasonal calendar, presenting the main events and
activities of the community (agricultural, religious, festivals, etc.) was made. On the second day
a transect of the respective hamlets and the proposed reforestation site was made. Later in the
day a matrix ranking was done to learn about the
preferred tree species. On the nal day the results
of the PRA exercise in both hamlets were combined and presented by the villagers who had
been involved in the PRA at a village meeting.
This was also attended by representatives from
the other two hamlets, the village head (kepala
desa), and the head of the Forestry Service of
Ngada District. During this meeting, spiced with
animated discussions, problems were reviewed
3. Outline of Tools
Tools useful to addressing ownership issues
in forest restoration are basically the same
that have proven useful in the case of examining land and resource tenure in different
conditions.
1. Land and resource mapping: This can be
done at any level, to learn about the environmental, economic, and social resources in the
community. A variation of mapping is the technique of transects, which focusses on specic
areas of a communitys land, for learning about
the communitys natural resource base, land
forms, and land use, location and size of farms
or homesteads, and location and availability
of infrastructure and services, and economic
activities.
2. The International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO) restoration guidelines are a
useful tool addressing ownership issues. To
ensure secure land tenure, these guidelines recommend (recommended actions 13 to 16): 13)
Clarify and legitimise equitable tenure, access,
use and other customary rights in degraded and
124
125
Notably, Chambers, 1994; Chambers and Guijt, 1995.

Vochten and Mulyana, 1995.

and compromises made. Finally a work programme for implementing the reforestation
project was produced. To ensure its future implementation the facilitators met with representatives of the concerned government agencies and
presented the proposal to them the next day.
4. FAOs Socio-economic and Gender

Analysis (SEAGA): This is an approach to
development based on an analysis of socioeconomic patterns and participatory identication
of womens and mens priorities. The objective
of the SEAGA approach is to close the gaps
between what people need and what development delivers. It uses three toolkits: the Development Context Toolkit, for learning about the
economic, environmental, social, and institutional patterns that pose supports or constraints
for development; the Livelihood Analysis
Toolkit, for learning about the ow of activities
and resources through which different people
make their living; and the Stakeholders Priorities for Development Toolkit, for planning
development activities based on womens and
mens priorities.
5. Dachang approaches the analysis of
drivers for forest restoration in South China
through a logical procedure consisting of three
stages: diagnosis, design, and delivery (Tri-D).
This procedure is the result of an adaptation of
farming system approaches and rapid rural
appraisal (RRA) or PRA to the identication
of problems and to the design and testing of
forestry and agroforestry options. This procedure has been used commonly in communitybased agroforestry research.
6. User rights/stakeholder analysis: A
general long-term objective is to gain knowledge about the community, and to appreciate
how to approach and structure a collaboration
process.126 For WWF, stakeholder analysis is
the process by which the various stakeholders
who might have an interest in a conservation
initiative are identied. A stakeholder analysis
generates information about stakeholders and
their interests, the relationships between them,
their motivations, and their ability to inuence
outcomes. There are numerous approaches to
stakeholder analysis, ranging from the formal
126
WWF-US, 2000a,b.
91
to informal, comprehensive to supercial. A

frequent problem of these approaches, however,
is a narrow understanding of stakes and differentiation within communities, associated with
the absence of consideration of tenure rights. A
second conceptual and methodological problem
is that often conservation organisations dene
primary stakeholders as those who, because of
power, authority, responsibilities, or claims over
the resources, are central to any conservation
initiative, while in reality primary stakeholders
are those with closer dependence and rights on
the resources involved.
7. The German agency GTZ proposes four
principles to assist decision makers in the
process of drafting and enforcing property
related legislation. The principles also serve as
yardsticks for evaluating existing land tenure
systems and reforms, and thus they can be used
to assess the forest ownership situation in any
given country, and monitoring progress in
establishing clear tenure systems. The proposed
principles are (1) certainty in law, (2) the rule
of law and human rights, (3) political participation of the population in land issues, and (4)
denition of property in market economies.
Ideally, the development of forest restoration
interventions should be preceded and accompanied by a process by which these principles
guide an appraisal of the situation of forest
ownership, and help identify the critical interventions to follow to ensure success of the initiatives in the long term.
8. The International Institute of Rural
Reconstruction127 offers advice as shown in Box
12.1 on addressing land tenure issues. This is
largely applicable to situations where forest
restoration is planned, and where forest ownership is an issue requiring specic actions.
4. Future Needs
The following areas require further development:
Understanding better the complex issues of
rights and how they interact with various
factors, such as incentives and policy environ127
International Institute of Rural Reconstruction, 2000.
92
G. Oviedo
Box 12.1. Dos and Donts from International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (2000)
Dos
Begin with a clear understanding of the local
situation and policy context.
Use a two-pronged approach for advocacy
and lobbying workat the top with policy
makers, and on the ground to demonstrate
impact.
Start with a clear shared vision with partners
at all levels.
Have a clear understanding of policies and
strategies.
Prepare clear guidelines in the local language and share with all stakeholders.
Actively share experiences and ideas.
Be patient: be prepared to invest a lot of
effort and time.
Strive to build the technical and managerial
capacity of communities.
Full coordination with local government
ofcials and line agencies is essential; they
ments, is a task that needs to be undertaken

on the basis of specic cases of forest restoration. It is therefore recommended that such
initiatives include in their plans the ongoing
accompaniment of the process by researchers
equipped to understand the links between
rights and incentives.
Use experience to synthesise guidance in
the form of option menus for dealing with
tenure issues in different situations. For the
moment, most of the experiences of forest
restoration offer lessons of mostly local or
national value on ownership matters, difcult
to generalise and to apply to other situations.
An analytical effort of learning more from
those lessons and then systematising them
for guidance would be valuable, always with
the understanding that lesson-based guidance is indicative only, and any mechanistic
application of experiences from one place to
another needs to be avoided.
Research further on experiences (successful
and unsuccessful) of forest restoration under
different types of ownership, to better under-
can play a key role in monitoring the

entire process.
Work toward establishing ofcial legislation
for user rights to greatly strengthen the
process.
Help communities understand that a shortterm reduction in fuelwood availability
will result from enclosure, and assist them
to nd ways to deal with this problem.
Donts
Dont start with sensitive issues (e.g., discussing the problems of the land-tenure
situation).
Dont allow conicts to become too large.
Try to resolve them as soon as possible.
Dont impose plans.
Dont monopolize the intervention. Partners
should be key players in the process.
stand how rights systems (including from

creation or granting of rights to law enforcement and judicial processes) impact on the
resultsin the short, medium, and long
terms. In undertaking such research, it is
fundamental to use a conceptual and methodological framework that is based on the
understanding of the complexities of the
bundle of forest ownership rights, avoiding
for example an exclusive focus on land
tenure.
References
Chambers, R. 1994a. The origins and practice of participatory rural appraisal. World Development
22(7):953969.
Chambers, R. 1994b. Participatory rural appraisal
(PRA): analysis of experience. World Development 22(9):12531268.
Chambers, R. 1994c. Participatory rural appraisal
(PRA): challenges, potentials and paradigm.
World Development 22(10):14371454.

Chambers, R., and Guijt, I. 1995. PRAFive years
later. Where are we now? Forests, Trees and
People Newsletter 26/27:413.
Clogg, J. 1997. Tenure reform for ecologically and
socially responsible forest use in British Columbia.
A paper submitted to the Faculty of Environmental Studies in partial fullment of the requirements
for the degree of Master in Environmental
Studies, York University, North York, Ontario,
Canada.
Dachang, L. 2001. Tenure and management of nonstate forests in China since 1950: a historical
review. Environmental History 6(2):239263.
Dachang, L., ed. 2003. Rehabilitation of Degraded
Forests to Improve Livelihoods of Poor Farmers in
South China. CIFOR, Bogor, Indonesia.
International Institute of Rural Reconstruction.
2000. Sustainable Agriculture Extension Manual.
IIRR, Silang, Cavite, Philippines.
Markopoulos, M.D. 1999. The Impacts of Certication on Campesino Forestry Groups in Northern
Honduras. Oxford Forestry Institute (OFI),
Oxford, UK.
Molnar, A., Scherr, S., and Khare, A. 2004. Who
conserves the worlds forests? Comunity-driven
strategies to protect forests and respect rights.
Forest Trends, Ecoagriculture Partners,Washington,
DC.
Neef, A., and Schwarzmeier, R. 2001. Land Tenure
Systems and Rights in Trees and Forests: Interdependencies, Dynamics and the Role of Development Cooperation, Case Studies from Mainland
Southeast Asia. GTZ, Division 4500 Rural Development, Eschborn, Germany.
Vochten, P., and Mulyana, A. 1995. Reforestation,
protection forest and peoplending compromises through PRA, Forests, Trees and People
Newsletter, FAO, issues 26/27.
White, A., and Martin, A. 2002. Who Owns the
Worlds Forests? Forest Tenure and Public Forests
in Transition. Forest Trends, Washington, DC.
World Wildlife Fund USA. 2000a. A Guide to
Socioeconomic Assessments for Ecoregion Conservation. WWFUS Ecoregional Conservation
Strategies Unit, Washington, DC.
World Wildlife USA. 2000b. Stakeholder Collaboration: Building Bridges for Conservation. WWF
93
US Ecoregional Conservation Strategies Unit,

Research and Development, Washington, DC.
Ziff, B. 1993. Principles of Property Law. Carswell.
Scarborough, Canada.
Additional Reading
Agrawal, A., and Ostrom, E. 1999. Collective action,
property rights, and devolution of forest and protected area management. Research paper. S/l.
Barton Bray, D., Merino-Perez, L., Negreros Castillo,
P., Segura-Warnholtz, G., Torres, J.M., and Vester,
H.F.M. 2003. Mexicos community-managed
forests as a global model for sustainable landscapes. Conservation Biology 17(3):672677.
Chambers, R. 1983. Rural Development: Putting the
Last First, Longman, London.
Chambers, R. 1993. Challenging the Professions.
Frontiers for Rural Development. Intermediate
Technology Publications, London.
Chambers, R. 1996. Whose Reality Counts? Intermediate Technology Publications, London.
Chambers, R. 2002. Participatory Workshops: A
Sourcebook, Institute of Development Studies,
Brighton, UK.
Chambers, R., and Leach, M. 1990. Trees as Savings
and Security for the Rural Poor. Unasylva
161(41):3952.
Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United
Nations, FAO. 2001. SEAGASocio-Economic
and Gender Analysis Package. FAO SocioEconomic and Gender Analysis Programme.
Gender and Population Division, Sustainable
Development Department, Rome.
GTZ. 1998. Guiding Principles: Land Tenure in
Development Cooperation. Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Technische Zusammenarbeit, Abt. 45,
Div. 45.
Jaramillo, C.F., and Kelly, T. 2000. La deforestacin y
los derechos de propiedad en Amrica Latina.
http://www.imacmexico.org/ev_es.php?ID=
5587_203&ID2=DO_TOPIC.
Restoration of Degraded Forests. IUCN/WWF,
Gland, Switzerland.
13
Challenges for Forest Landscape
Restoration Based on WWFs
Experience to Date
Stephanie Mansourian and Nigel Dudley

Some of the most important challenges identied by WWFs forest landscape restoration
programme in its rst four years, include the
following:
The need to better value forest goods and
services
The need to increase capacity to deal with
landscape restoration issues
The need to better monitor the return of
forest functions at a landscape scale
1. Introduction
Since the start of its Forest Landscape Restoration programme in 2000, WWF, the global
conservation organisation, has faced a number
of challenges related to (1) the planning of
restoration in large scales, (2) the integration of
social and ecological dimensions, and (3) the
implementation of restoration programmes on
a large scale. A more detailed analysis of
specic lessons learned from forest landscape
restoration projects can be found in this book
in the part entitled Lessons Learned and the
Way Forward. This chapter focusses instead on
specic challenges anticipated for future programmes to restore forest functions in landscapes, based on experience in the rst 4 years
of WWFs restoration programme. While this
94
draws on experience within one organisation,

we hope that the brief summary of some of
the tasks we have identied will also be useful
to governments, nongovernment organisations,
(NGOs) and others interested in developing
restoration projects, large or small.
We started WWFs restoration initiative with
some concepts (e.g., the need to integrate socioeconomics, the concept of trading off land uses
within landscapes, the idea of working at a
landscape scale), and also some principles (e.g.,
balancing ecological and social needs, adopting
where possible a participatory approach). For
the last 4 years, we have been testing out these
theories in practice in eld programmes around
the world. One early result was recognition that
there was a lack of succinct information for
practitioners, which was the driving force
behind this book. In light of WWFs experience
to date, a number of future challenges and
opportunities have been identied128:
1.1. Setting Realistic Goals

for Restoration Within
a Landscape
A failure of past restoration efforts can be
traced back to having started with unrealistic
goals or alternatively with very narrow goals
that fail to take into account local and surrounding socioeconomic realities. For this
reason it is important to set goals that are at
once realistic but also consider the many dif128
Mansourian, 2004.
13. Challenges for Forest Landscape Restoration
ferent outputs required from most landscapes.

In a landscape context, restoration goals for
conservation organisations will often be closely
linked to other activities relating to protected
areas and sustainable forest management. Thus,
restoration may seek to complement a protected area or relieve pressure on it. Equally,
restoration can happen within and around the
estate of a managed forest. Forest restoration
goals within a landscape generally have to
address both social and ecological needs; they
may, for instance, relate to restoration of
species habitat in one location but also to the
establishment of fuelwood plantations elsewhere. In all cases, the key will be to attempt to
balance those goals to provide optimal benets
(also see Goals and Targets of Forest Landscape Restoration, Negotiations and Conict
Management, and Addressing Trade-Offs in
Forest Landscape Restoration).
1.2. Ensuring that Restoration Is

Not Used as an Excuse for
Uncontrolled Exploitation
One reason many conservationists still balk at
restoration is that it can be seen to provide a
justication for failing to address the problems
of degradation. Given the cost, duration, and
difculty of restoration, we do not believe that
this is a viable argument. However, the fact that
conservation organisations encourage restoration should not be interpreted as licence for
degradation, because in many circumstances
restoration activities will not be able to recover
all of the values that have been lost. There is a
ne line between actively offering restoration
as a solution to dwindling natural resources
without undermining efforts at protection or
good management of these resources.
1.3. Active or Passive Restoration?

In some cases it is clear that restoration is
already urgently necessary. At this point the
rst question for a community, conservation
organisation, or government becomes one of
choice between passive and active restoration.
Passive restoration, which means creating
suitable conditions for restoration to happen
95
through natural processes (e.g., by fencing an

area against grazing or preventing articial re)
is usually considered to be the most desirable
solution, being simpler, cheaper, and more akin
with natural processes. However, there comes
a point (a status of degradation or particular
set of ecological and social conditions) when
active restoration is necessary, either because
recovery needs to be speeded up to protect
threatened biodiversity or because ecological
conditions have changed so profoundly that
natural processes need some assistance. The
challenge for conservation planners is sometimes whether to wait for passive restoration,
and risk further degradation and in the future
a more expensive restoration process, or to
jump straight into active restoration. Development of a more sophisticated set of criteria
or tools for helping make these kinds of decisions will be one of the major needs in the
future.
1.4. Promoting the Concept of

Multifunctional Landscapes
If conservation organisations are to address
the big emerging issues related to forestry and
biodiversity, we will need to engage much
more closely with social actors, an example is
the emerging WWF-CARE partnership. An
emphasis on multifunctional landscapes, that
is, landscapes that provide a mixture of environmental, social, and economic goods and
services through a mosaic of sites managed with
differing but harmonised objectives, can help to
provide balanced approaches in landscapes that
contain both environmental and social problems. One implication of this is that forest
restoration in most cases will not be a viable
activity unless it goes hand in hand with forest
management and usually also with forest
protection.
1.5. Sustainability of Restoration

Valuing Forest Goods, Services,
and Processes to be Restored
Active restoration is an expensive process,
and in most cases conservationists (both state
government and NGOs) still opt to direct avail-
96
S. Mansourian and N. Dudley
able conservation budgets toward protection

instead. However, in many cases these decisions
are not being taken in full knowledge of the
long-term costs and benets. For instance, it is
often easier to build political support for setting
aside a mountainous area of forest to protection because it appears to entail limited cost, or
at least delayed costs, whereas the apparent
cost of restoring a more accessible or economically valuable habitat such as a lowland forest
appears immediately. But if the long-term value
of a restored forest were properly estimated,
then on balance the net costs might not appear
to be as high. In some cases, it may make more
sense to focus efforts on protection, in others
more on restoration or a mixture of both. One
future challenge is to increase skills and tools
for valuation of the costs and benets of various
approaches so that more balanced judgements
can be made.
1.6. Long Term Monitoring and

Evaluating Impact of
Restoration within
Large Scales
Monitoring and evaluation are essential in any
conservation programme, to help facilitate
adaptive management, and have been identied as one of the most critical elements in
success. They become particularly crucial in a
large-scale restoration effort, which will span
several decades and will involve many different
actors. Mistakes need to be redressed and
improvements need to be made. Proper monitoring tools that are adapted to a large scale
need to be developed and then applied
rigorously.
1.7. When Can We Claim Success?

When Is a Landscape
Restored?
There is no clear end point for restoration. A
natural forest is itself not a xed or static
ecosystem but is generally in constant evolution
and ux. In any case, many restoration projects
will not be aiming to re-create an original
forest. Agreeing and then nding ways of measuring an end point is therefore a challenge
particularly for organisations such as WWF,

which work in time-limited programmes and to
targets that are often agreed to between NGOs
and donors. In practice, targets need to be set
at the level of a specic landscape. For instance,
is the ultimate aim of a forest landscape
restoration programme to return a certain
endangered animal species to a viable population? Or is it to improve water quality? Or is it
to reverse the decline in forest quality? Many
restoration projects have multiple aims, such as
restoring habitat for species but also increasing
nontimber forest products for local communities. By setting goals, conservation organisations should be able to establish meaningful
programmes, whilst recognising that forest
landscape restoration is never a short-term
project with a clear beginning and end. Efforts
should be longer term, and specic measures of
success will necessarily be steps along a trajectory toward a healthier and more sustainable
forest landscape.
1.8. Resources
Forest restoration at the scale of large landscapes can be enormously costly. In addition,
the longer we wait before undertaking restoration, the more degraded the landscape is likely
to have become (for instance, seeds of original
species may no longer be present, soil conditions will have changed) and therefore the
higher the costs of restoration are likely to be.
Many restoration efforts have failed through
lack of resources. Ideally, systems that integrate
the cost of restoration within landscape-level
activities via taxes (for instance on ecotourists)
or via payment for environmental services (for
instance, for the provision of clean water, also
see Payment for Environmental Services and
Restoration) should provide long-term and
sustainable nancing for restoration activities.
However, this assumes both that costs and benets can be measured accurately, which is still
often a challenge, and that there is sufcient
political support for restoration that such
payments can be levied. Establishing means
for long-term funding that go beyond donor
project cycles remains a key challenge for the
future.
13. Challenges for Forest Landscape Restoration
1.9. Capacity
A restoration programme carried out over
large areas is likely to require many different
skills, for instance negotiating skills, lobbying
skills, monitoring skills, small enterprise development skills, plantation skills, nursery development skills, etc. It is important to ensure that
local capacity to support the long-term restoration effort exists. In many cases this requires
training as well as the partnering of different
institutions to share their respective knowledge
and expertise.
2. Examples
These examples demonstrate some of the practical challenges that have been encountered. They
may not all be as fundamental as those listed
above, but are interesting to highlight as they
demonstrate the full range of challenges that may
emerge from real experiences.
2.1. Vietnam: The Challenge of

Dealing with Pressures on
Remaining Forests
The government of Vietnam is well aware of
the importance of its forests, for instance to
ensure water quality, and has taken signicant
forest areas out of production. But pressures
remain because local people face serious land
shortages, and restoration efforts have until
now mainly been aimed at intensive plantations
that supply only a small proportion of the
potential goods and services. Restoration
efforts in Vietnam therefore need to embrace
demonstration projects both to show what is
possible and to work with government authorities to modify current restoration policies
(see case study Monitoring Forest Landscape
Restoration in Vietnam).
2.2. Madagascar: The Challenge of

Choosing a Priority Landscape
for Restoration
In a country like Madagascar that has lost over
90 percent of its forest, it would seem straight-
97
forward to decide where to restore. Nonetheless, given scarce resources and given a difcult
socioeconomic context (Madagascar is one of
the poorest countries on the planet, and poor
people survive largely from slash and burn agriculture), it is necessary to select priority area(s)
to begin a large-scale restoration programme.
In 2003 WWF brought together a number of
stakeholders from government, civil society,
and the private sector to dene together what
might be criteria for choosing a priority landscape in which to restore forest functions.
The group identied the following categories
of criteria:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Sociocultural
Economic
Ecological/biophysical
Political
Within these categories, some of the 24

criteria were, for example:
Type of land tenure

Values attributed to forests by local people
Proximity of fragments to a large forest plot
Level of diversication of revenue sources
Presence of management entity for the
landscape
Numbers of species used by local communities that have been lost
Level of involvement of communities in local
environmental actions
Members of the national working group on
forest landscape restoration then visited a
short-listed selection of landscapes and rated
each against the 24 criteria. The outcome was a
prioritised list of landscapes that need to be
restored based on criteria that were developed
locally and that were very specic to local
conditions.129
2.3. New Caledonia:

The Challenge of Dealing with
Multiple Partners
It took 2 years to develop an agreed to partnership, strategy, and plan, and to engage eight
other partners in the dry forest restoration
129
Allnutt et al, 2004.
98
S. Mansourian and N. Dudley
programme for New Caledonia. While this may

seem a long time to invest in building a partnership, the fruits of such an effort are now
being felt as the programme is taking off.
The programme carries much more weight in
the eyes of all stakeholders because of the
partnership.
2.4. Malaysia: The Challenge of

Identifying Priority Species
for Restoration
While restoration along the Kinabatangan river
was identied as a priority in order to reconnect patches of forest for biodiversity, the selection of appropriate species was not clearly
done. For this reason a demonstration site has
been set up where different species and tech-
niques (from simply fencing to weeding or

active planting) are being tested and monitored
in order to identify the approach that is best
suited to local conditions and which can then
be propagated along the corridor.
References
Allnutt, T., Mansourian, S., and Erdmann, T. 2004.
Setting preliminary biological and ecological
restoration targets for the landscape of FandrianaMarolambo in Madagascars moist forest ecoregion. WWF internal paper. WWF, Gland,
Switzerland.
Mansourian, S. 2004. Challenges and opportunities
for WWFs Forest Landscape Restoration programme. WWF internal paper. WWF, Gland,
Switzerland.
Section VI
A Suite of Planning Tools
14
Goals and Targets of Forest
Jeffrey Sayer
The most fundamental (question) relates to the denition of the goals and targets for restoration projects.
It would seem that denition would be simple, but
it is often complex and involves difcult decisions
and compromises. Ideally, restoration reproduces the
entire system in question, complete in all its aspects
genetics, populations, ecosystems, and landscapes.
This means not merely replicating the systems composition, structure and functions, but also its dynamicseven allowing for evolutionary as well as
ecological change (Meffe and Carroll, 1994).

Outside experts cannot alone set goals and
targets because they are never self-evident.
Careful multi-stakeholder processes are
needed to set goals and targets that will be
broadly accepted.
Goals and targets will change with time and
need to be adapted.
Pristine pre-intervention nature is only
one of many possible goals.
1. Background and
A broadly shared understanding and acceptance by all stakeholders is fundamental to the
success of any restoration project. There are
countless examples of attempts at restoration

failing because one persons restoration is
often another persons degradation. Here are
some examples:
Attempts by the Indonesian Ministry of
Forestry to restore Imperata grasslands
by planting trees failed because local people
had no use for the trees (they belonged to
the foresters) but they made extensive uses
of the grasslands. The grasslands provided
fodder for their cattle and grass for roong.
Attempts to plant spruce forests to restore
the degraded moorlands of northern
England and Scotland were opposed by
amenity and conservation groups because
the moorland scenery had come to be
accepted as natural and beautiful and it
was the habitat of rare birds.
Government attempts to restore tree cover
on the uplands of Vietnam were opposed
by local people because the types of trees
planted by the government were not the ones
that local people needed or could use.
Government-sponsored
tree
planting
schemes in China have denied local people
access to medicinal plants and have damaged
the habitats of rare plants and animals in the
dry mountainous areas of South Western and
Western China.
Attempts to restore pristine nature in
degraded areas in the United States are
opposed by some conservationists who consider that such articially restored areas can
never have the value of a pristine landscape.
101
102
J. Sayer
Pretending that restoration is possible is seen

as a ploy by commercial interests to justify
activities that degrade nature.
The basic problem is that what is perceived as
degraded by one interest group may be perceived as desirable by another group. Foresters
consider land degraded if it does not support a
crop of commercially valuable trees. Ecologists
consider a forest degraded if it does not have
multiple layers of vegetation and a reasonable
number of dead or decaying trees as habitat for
birds and invertebrate. Amenity groups do not
like dense forests; they want mosaics of woodland and open land with extensive views.The list
is endless. The basic lesson is that there can
never be a single vision of an end point for
restoration that will automatically meet with
the approval of all interested parties.
2. Steps to Success
The rst task in any broad-scale restoration initiative, therefore, is to nd out what everyone
would ideally like to see as an outcome and
then to negotiate compromises between what
will inevitably be a collection of different viewpoints and attempt to come up with a scenario
that is acceptable to all.
It is unwise to assume that once an end point
has been negotiated that the visioning thing
is done. As landscapes change so the perceptions and needs of interest groups will evolve.
Restoration is often a moving target. Markets,
recreational needs, conservation priorities, etc.
all change with time, and what people want
today will not necessarily be what they will
want tomorrow.
Dunwiddie130 has argued that objectives for
restoration projects should be dened as
motion pictures rather than snapshots. The
problem is that objects such as species are much
easier to specify and monitor in projects than
are processes such as ecosystem function and
community dynamics.
The following concepts and approaches can
be used as tools to ensure that forest landscape
130
Dunwiddie, 1992.
restoration projects are moving in the right

direction:
2.1. Answer the Questions:

Restoring What, for Whom
and Why
These are the most important questions yet
they are frequently not properly addressed in
restoration projects.
These questions should be answered by
real stakeholderslocal people, conservation
organisations, etc.those who will do the work
or incur the costs and benets.
Avoid programmes that are expert driven
and ensure that development assistance agencies stay honest, that they are explicit about
their real objectives and recognise that they
also are interested parties.
2.2. Work with Scenarios, Visions,

and Stakeholder Processes
There is an abundant literature on methods for
involving stakeholders in the development of
scenarios and visions. Care has to be taken to
ensure that the interests of less powerful groups
are addressed. Achieving genuine public participation is not just common senseit requires
professional skills. Neutral professional facilitation is almost always necessary. The Centre
for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)
and the International Institute for Environment
and Development (IIED) Web sites provide
access to the literature on these approaches.
Simple modelling tools exist for exploring
options and making assumptions explicit.
STELLA, VENSIM, and SIMILE are widely
used. These models are the best tools for developing scenarios, understanding the drivers
of change in a system, making stakeholder
assumptions and understanding explicit, and
then tracking progress toward goals that are
identied as desirable.
The concept of getting into the system131 is
fundamental. This means engaging for the longterm, becoming a stakeholder, and making
ones interest explicit. In the case of WWF, as
131
Sayer and Campbell, 2004.
14. Goals and Targets of Forest Landscape Restoration
with other conservation organisations, this

interest is principally biodiversity, and we have
to make commitments for what we are prepared to contribute in cash or other contributions to support the achievement of our
biodiversity goals.
2.3. Understand Development

Trajectories
What would happen if we did not intervene?
What is the underlying development trajectory? What are the principal drivers of change?
It is vital to get the correct answers to these
questions. Modelling can help. Normally only
a small number of drivers of change are signicant at any one time. We have to know
which ones they are and how they can be
inuenced.132
We must also understand the underlying
processes of ecological succession.133 The
factors that inuence restoration at a single
location are not necessarily conned to that
place. A variety of extrasectoral inuences
such as economic and trade policies and levels
of public understanding of issues will have a
continuing and variable inuence on restoration processes.
2.4. Use Monitoring and Evaluation

as a Management Tool
Monitoring and evaluation have to be linked to
the desired outcomes of interventions. Negotiating these outcomes is the rst and most
important activity in any programme. Indicators of the desired outcomes have to be agreed
to or negotiated at the beginning, and they then
become the tools for adaptive management.134
The book by Sayer and Campbell has a chapter
on this issue that gives further references to the
monitoring and evaluation literature.134a
132
See the Web site of the Resilience Alliance and publication by Berkes et al, 2003.
133
Walker and del Moral, 2003.
134
CIFORs work on Adaptive Collaborative Management
provides guidance.
134a
Sayer and Campbell, 2004.
103
2.5. Find and Protect Reference

Landscapes
Whether or not the objective of forest landscape restoration is to restore the original
vegetation cover, it will always be useful to have
reference areas that are as near as possible to
the natural conditions of the area (see Identifying and Using Reference Landscapes for
Restoration). These are useful as benchmarks,
for understanding ecological processes, for education, and as sources of plants and animals to
be used in assisted restoration.
Much has been written about attempts to
restore a pristine, climax, natural land cover.
There are lots of problems with this approach,
not least of which is the difculty of knowing
what the preintervention situation was. It is also
important to avoid falling into the trap of
assuming that natural systems reach a climax
condition and are then constantthis is rarely
the case. Even in the remotest and least disturbed parts of the Congo Basin or the Amazon
the species composition of the forests today is
not the same as it was 100, 500, or 5000 years
ago. Natural landscapes are highly dynamic,
and decisions to restore to natural conditions
will always be arbitrary and open to multiple
interpretations. Reference landscapes, or plots,
with minimal intervention remain valuable in
helping us to understand landscape processes
and can be useful components of any largescale restoration programme. They can be valuable as examples to look at during negotiation
processes.
Normally restoring natural conditions is
just one of a range of possible objectives, and
in most situations what one restores will be
dened by more precise production and environmental objectives.
2.6. Be Realistic About Designer

Landscapes
Once a comprehensive stakeholder participation process is engaged, it will gradually
become possible to begin to talk about desirable outcomes. Eventually a vision of a
designer landscape may begin to emerge.
Different approaches and tools are useful to
104
J. Sayer
explore what the landscape should look like in

order to respond to the needs and wishes of different interest groups.
3. Outline of Tools
Stakeholders may decide that a certain landscape conguration and condition is ideal for
their objectives. But usually different stakeholders have different ideals. To ne-tune a
landscape vision, some specic approaches can
be used depending on the restoration goal:
Biodiversity: Modelling tools developed by the
United Nations Environment ProgrammeWorld Conservation Monitoring Centre
(UNEP-WCMC) are useful.135 Some assumptions about corridors and connectivity have
to be treated with caution.136 One should not
always assume that protected areas should be
as big as possible. There are often signicant
opportunity costs that protected areas create
for local people. Protected areas should be
of an optimal size, not necessarily as big as
possible.136 The importance of seral stages
in vegetation development is often underestimated. Many wildlife species require early
successional vegetation for their survival.
Poverty mapping and assessment: The World
Agroforestry Centre has a lot to offer on this
topic (see Agroforestry as a Tool for Forest
Landscape Restoration).
Land care: The Landcare programme in Australia and now expanding elsewhere is an
interesting model for participatory multistakeholder restoration programmes.
Water: Lots of common assumptions about the
value of land cover for water quality and
quantity are not borne out by empirical evidence. Forest cover may consume more
water than it conserves; it all depends on the
type of trees, the frequency and intensity of
rainfall, and the nature of the underlying substrate. Expert advice should be sought on the
hydrological implications of restoration pro-
135
136
137
UNEP-WCMC, 2003.
Simberloff et al, 1992.
Zuidema et al, 1997.
grammes (also see Restoring Water Quality

and Quantity).
Amenity: The Netherlands, the United
Kingdom, and the United States have
restoration programmes with a heavy
emphasis on amenity. This is the realm of
landscape architecture.138
Avalanche control: This is an important issue in
temperate and boreal countries and there is
an abundant literature.
Timber: Timber is the real objective of much socalled restoration. Caution is needed because
narrow timber production objectives are
rarely consistent with the broader objectives
of local people and the environment.
Tree crops: Tree crops include oil palm, coffee,
cacao, rubber etc. More can be found on this
topic in the chapter on agroforestry, cited
above, but also in publications on extractive
reserves and jungle rubber.
4. Future Needs
4.1. Improved Economic Analysis
Restoring landscapes is expensive, but can and
should yield economic benets. The valuation
of environmental goods and services is still an
imprecise science. The valuation of the subsistence products used by poor subsistence
farmers is also a challenge. But all large-scale
restoration initiatives have to be rooted in
economic realism. The cost-benet ratios are
essential in determining what is possible and
desirable. There are countless examples of
forest restoration programmes that have cost a
lot of money and yielded few real benets.
It is especially important to remember that
investments in restoration carry opportunity
coststhe same money could be invested in
employment creation, establishing protected
areas, etc. Even though complete economic valuation will only rarely be possible or necessary,
it is always important to thoroughly examine
options from an economic perspective.
138
Liu and Taylor, 2002.
14. Goals and Targets of Forest Landscape Restoration
4.2. A Capacity for Learning

by Doing
The above consideration may suggest a need
for heavy planning processes, but this should be
avoided at all costs. It is much better to start
immediately with a few experimental restoration activities on the basis of outcomes of the
initial discussions amongst stakeholders. These
trials will establish the credibility of outside
stakeholders and will permit learning. They will
greatly enrich ongoing stakeholder negotiations that should continue throughout the programme. The initial objective should be to build
a community of interest groups that can experiment and learn together.
A sense of community or social capital can
really enhance efforts to restore landscapes.
Voluntary groups have accomplished some
remarkable restoration achievements. People
can work together and develop a shared passion
for restoring the habitat of a rare animal or the
beauty of a disgured landscape. Such communities will ne-tune their objectives and adapt
their programmes as they advance. They will
provide an excellent mechanism for setting and
updating goals and end points.
To get real buy-in from diverse interest
groups, it is important to start small, provide
outside inputs as drip-feeding, not as big cash
injections, avoid setting up bureaucracies, and
learn and adapt as you progress.
105
References
Berkes, F., Colding, J., and Folke, C. 2003. Navigating
Social-Ecological Systems. Cambridge University
Dunwiddie, P.W. 1992. On setting goals: from snapshots to movies and beyond. Restoration Management Notes 10(2):116119.
Liu, J., and Taylor, W.W. 2002. Integrating Landscape
Ecology into Natural Resource Management.
Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.
Meffe, G.K., and Carroll, C.R. 1994. Ecological
Restoration. In: Principles of Conservation
Biology, pp. 409438. Sinamer Associates, Inc.,
Sunderland, MA.
Sayer, J.A., and Campbell, B. 2004. The Science of
Sustainable Development. Cambridge University
Simberloff, D., Farr, J.A., Cox, J., and Mehlman, D.W.
1992. Movement corridors: conservation bargains
or poor investments? Conservation Biology 6:
493504.
UNEP-WCMC. 2003. Spatial analysis as a decision
support tool for forest landscape restoration.
Report to WWF.
Walker, L.R., and del Moral, R. 2003. Primary Succession and Ecosystem Rehabilitation. Cambridge
Zuidema, P.A., Sayer, J.A., and Dijkman, W. 1997.
Forest fragmentation and biodiversity: the case for
intermediate-sized conservation areas. Environmental Conservation 23:290297.
Additional Reading
4.3. Tracking Tools for
Landscapes
As restoration programmes unfold it is essential to have feedback mechanisms so that
success can be assessed, stakeholders consulted,
and activities adapted to reect changed perspectives. Such tracking tools (or monitoring
and evaluation) need to be negotiated at the
beginning of the process to ensure that they
genuinely track the attributes of the site that
people value. Since landscapes are complex and
stakeholders views often divergent, such tracking tools will inevitably be complicated.139
139
See penultimate chapter in Sayer and Cambell, 2004.
Aide, T.M., Zimmerman, J.K., et al. 2000. Forest

regeneration in a chronosequence of tropical
abandoned pastures: implications for restoration
ecology. Restoration Ecology 8(4): 328338.
Ashton, M.S., Gunatilleke, C.V.S. et al. 2001. Restoration pathways for rainforest in Southwest Sri
Lanka: a review of concepts and models. Forest
Ecology and Management 154:409430.
Bradshaw, A.D., and Chadwick M.J. 1980. The
Restoration of Land: The ecology and reclamation
of derelict and degraded land. Blackwell Scientic
Publications, Oxford, UK.
Buckley, G.P., ed. 1989. Biological Habitat Reconstruction. Belhaven Press, London.
Cairns, J., Jr., ed. 1988. Rehabilitating Damaged
Ecosystems, vols. 1 and 2. CRC Press, Boca Raton,
Florida.
106
J. Sayer
Gobster, P.H., and Hull, R.B., eds. 1999. Restoring

Nature: Perspectives from the Social Sciences and
Humanities. Island Press, Washington, D.C.
Holl, K.D., Loik, M.E., et al. 2000. Tropical montane
forest restoration in Costa Rica: overcoming barriers to dispersal and establishment. Restoration
Ecology 8(4):339349.
IUFRO. 2003. Occasional paper no. 15. Part 1:
Science and technologybuilding the future of
the worlds forests. Part II: Planted forests and biodiversity. ISSN 1024-1414X. IUFRO, Vienna, pp
150.
Jordan, W.R. III, Gilpin, M.E., and Abers, J.D., eds.
1987. Restoration Ecology: A Synthetic Approach
to Ecological Research. Cambridge University
Lamb, D. 1998. Large scale ecological restoration
of degraded tropical forest lands: the potential
role of timber plantations. Restoration Ecology
6(3):271279.
Luken, J.O. 1990. Directing Ecological Succession.

Chapman and Hall, London.
Nilsen, R., ed. 1991. Helping Nature Heal: An Introduction to Environmental Restoration. A Whole
Earth Catalogue, Ten Speed Press, Berkeley, California (Deals with restoration in a U.S. context.)
Perrow, M.R., and Davy, A.J. 2002. Handbook or
Ecological Restoration, vols. 1 and 2. Cambridge
Reiners, W.A., and Driese, K.L. 2003. Propagation
of Ecological Inuence Through Environmental
Space. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge,
UK.
Smout, T.C. 2000. Nature Contested; Environmental
History in Scotland and Northern England Since
1600. Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, UK.
Whisenant, S.G. 1999. Repairing Damaged WildlandsA Process-Oriented, Landscape-Scale
Approach. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.
Case Study: Madagascar: Developing

a Forest Landscape Restoration
Initiative in a Landscape in the
Moist Forest
Stephanie Mansourian and Grard Rambeloarisoa
Starting in March 2003, WWF, the global conservation organisation, and its partners began
developing a Forest Landscape Restoration
programme in the moist forest ecoregion of
Madagascar. This case study highlights the different steps in the process.
Only about 10 percent of Madagascars
forests are left, and much of this is in poor
condition. For this reason forest landscape
restoration was identied as a useful approach
to tackle conservation and development
concerns in the country. In March 2003,
when WWF began its restoration programme,
a moist forest ecoregion process was already
underway to develop a comprehensive
conservation programme for the whole
area (i.e., data were being gathered, maps
developed highlighting key habitats, the
range of different species were being surveyed, etc.) which helped to feed crucial data
into the development of the restoration
initiative.
The key steps in the development of the
restoration programme are as follows:
1. Short-listing priority landscapes (March
2003): In a national workshop with participants representing civil society, researchers,
government, and the private sector, a number
of potential landscapes were selected for
restoration based on coarse criteria developed
together in the workshop.
2. Reconnaissance to focus on one landscape (JuneAugust 2003): The criteria were

then further rened by a national working
group set up at the workshop. Using the
selected criteria (which included both ecological and social issues, for instance, distance
from large forest patch, literacy rate, presence
or absence of land tenure conict), the
members of the national working group
visited the ve short-listed landscapes and
rated each according to the criteria in order to
select one priority one.
3. Proposal development and funds raised
(August 2003June 2004): A proposal was
developed, submitted, and approved for the
priority landscape.
4. Beginning the process for selecting biological and ecological targets (June 2004): To
begin identifying the biological and ecological
priorities for the landscape, data from the
ecoregion process was used to dene what
might be priority areas for restoration within
the landscape and with which biological/
ecological objective (e.g., restoring the habitat
for a specic lemur, buffering a protected
area, etc.).
5. Socioeconomic analysis (September
December 2004): Before taking the biological
data further, it was felt that a better understanding of the social and economic situation
inside the landscape was needed, leading to the
commissioning of a socioeconomic analysis.
107
108
S. Mansourian and G. Rambeloarisoa
Next Steps
Some of the key next steps that have been
already identied include the following:
Setting common targets in landscape: Using
a merge of the ecological and the socioeconomic data, it will be possible to identify
compromise targets for the landscape in
consultation with stakeholders.
Partnerships: Key partnerships with stakeholders will be important to the process,
from a point of view of both political support and technical complementarity.
Setting up a monitoring system at the landscape level: To measure progress against
those targets, a monitoring system will need

to be set up.
Beginning small-scale activities: Small-scale
activities need to start rapidly to identify
the most suitable techniques, species,
species mix, training needs, and alternative
economic activities that the population can
engage in.
Extracting lessons learned from the process
and revisiting the work plan: On an annual
basis, it is necessary to revise work plans
and review data to determine whether the
process is progressing according to plan or
if adjustments are necessary.
15
Identifying and Using Reference
Landscapes for Restoration
Nigel Dudley

Reference forests are carefully preserved
natural or near-natural forests that can
provide information about natural species
mix and ecology, that can be used in planning
and measuring the success of restoration.
Formal and informal networks of reference
forests are building up around the world.
Use of reference forests often needs to be
supplemented with other data such as historical records, old maps, identication of
past vegetation through pollen mapping
from peat cores, etc.
1. Background and
Because forest restoration is a process, a good
restoration programme starts with a fairly clear
idea of what type of forest is being created, that
is, the target for restoration and the associated activities. This can only be approximate,
because ecosystems change and evolve, but can
help set the approach and time scale.140 There
can be many different aims and end points, for
instance:
140
Peterken, 1996.
Restoration of deforested land with a staged

process leading to a more natural forest over
time, e.g., as in Guanacaste, Costa Rica,
where exotic species are used as nurse crops
for natural forest141
Restoration of forest with specic social
values, e.g., tembawang fruit gardens of
western Borneo, which are planted for their
nontimber forest products but are also high
repositories of biodiversity
Restoration of specic values within managed forests by specic interventions, such as
re-creation of dead wood components in
southern Swedish and Finnish forests
Restoration as a centuries-long process,
where initial intervention is then augmented
by natural changes and aging, as in the previously deforested Agathis forests of northern New Zealand
Although it is often assumed that restoration
aims to re-create a natural forest, this is not
always the case. Many efforts aim instead at
culturally important forests, as in parts of the
Mediterranean, or even seek to limit the spread
of trees to maintain game animals, as in many
of the eastern African savannahs. Whatever the
aims, good restoration needs to be planned and
monitored against some framework, usually a
similar forest type that identies a template for
the type of forest being restored.
Reference forests provide a model to follow.
The best reference forests are those that have
141
Janzen, 2002.
109
110
N. Dudley
been identied, protected, and monitored over

time, so that they have an associated body of
understanding about their ecology. They will
often, although not invariably, be old forests,
although younger forests can provide valuable
reference for successional stages. Even quite
newly identied reference forests can provide
valuable information if their history is known
and it will often be necessary to nd a reference
forest or reference landscape as part of the
planning for forest restoration at a landscape
scale. Sometimes reference forests need to be
re-created theoretically from historical records
and pollen diagrams.Although most valuable in
relating to forest types in the same ecosystem,
reference forests also provide information of
value to forests far away. It is important to
understand the relationship between the historical reference forest and the future forest
being re-created or modied; the reference
forest is not necessarily the same as the target
forest being restored. Sometimes it will be possible, over time, for the latter to become very
similar to its reference, while in other cases this
will be impossible either because of other pressures on and needs from the forest or because
conditions have changed and certain elements
of the original forest are irrecoverable. A clear
understanding of this relationship is important
when setting targets for restoration.
Reference landscapes provide information
on different aspects of ecology, particularly
composition, ecological processes and functioning, and, crucially but often the most difcult to
pinpoint, cyclical changes over time. Locating
forests undisturbed enough to exhibit natural
changes either through a gradual process of
aging and renewal or from evidence of natural
catastrophic events is now increasingly difcult
in many areas, yet an understanding of how
forests renew themselves is important in recreating near-to-natural forests and in understanding likely pressures on managed forests.
Other elements to consider in dening
targets for restoration include long-term
human interaction with forests and the evolution of cultural landscapes (many forests have
never existed without the presence of humans
so that the idea of a pristine, human-free
ecosystem is often little more than a myth). The
probability of future climate change and other

forms of environmental disturbance means that
targets should be tailored with this in mind, also
suggesting the limitation of following reference
landscapes too closely, when they may be
undergoing change themselves. More generally,
targets for restoration should be developed
with an understanding of likely changes. The
idea that vegetation evolves to some climax
type and then stays the same is now largely disproved, at least at the level of a particular stand,
where ux is expected and is likely to be constant. In the end, choices usually need to be
made about levels of biodiversity, naturalness,
and livelihood values contained in particular
restored forests, and reference forests can only
provide information to help with these more
political choices.
2. Examples
The presence of reference forests has played
a fundamental role in understanding forest
ecology and in developing responses to forest
loss and degradation. Some reference forests
are outlined below.
2.1. Oregon, United States

The H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest was
protected by the U.S. Forest Service in 1948 as
part of a network of forests intended to serve
as living laboratories for studies by the services
scientic research branch. The forest is administered cooperatively by the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service Pacic
Northwest Research Station, Oregon State
University, and the Willamette National Forest,
with funding from the National Science Foundation, U.S. Forest Service, Oregon State University, and others. Long-term eld experiments
have focussed on climate dynamics, stream
ow, water quality, and vegetation succession.
Currently, researchers are working to develop
concepts and tools needed to predict effects
of natural disturbance, land use, and climate
change on ecosystem structure, function, and
species composition. Over 3000 scientic publications have used data from the forest. The
15. Identifying and Using Reference Landscapes for Restoration
research has been used in developing ways of

restoring old-growth characteristics within
managed forests in the Pacic Northwest
through new forestry, including retention of
standing dead wood and coarse woody debris
in streams.142
2.2. Centre for Tropical Forest

Science (CTFS), Smithsonian
Institute, Washington, DC
The CTFS has developed an international
network of standardised forest dynamics plots.
Within each plot, every tree over 1 cm in diameter is marked, measured, plotted on a map, and
identied according to species. The typical
forest dynamics plot is 50 hectares, containing
up to 360,000 individual trees. An initial tree
census and periodic follow-up censuses yield
long-term information on species growth, mortality, regeneration, distribution, and productivity, which currently provides an almost unique
information source for developing restoration
strategies within managed tropical forests. Utilising the data from the standardised, intensive
forest dynamics plots throughout the tropics,
CTFS researchers are exploring tropical forest
species diversity and dynamics at a global
scale. Plots currently exist in Panama, Puerto
Rico, Ecuador, Colombia, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malaysia, Thailand,
Sri Lanka, India (see below), the Philippines,
Singapore, and Taiwan.
2.3. India
The Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary and
Bandipur National Park are part of the wildliferich protected areas within the Nilgiri
Biosphere in the Western Ghat Mountains of
southern India. These reserves are sites of longterm ecological research by the Centre for Ecological Sciences. A 50-hectare permanent plot
in Mudumalai, where the dynamics of a tropical dry forest is investigated in relation to re
and herbivory by large mammals, is part of the
international network of large-scale plots coordinated by the CTFS (see above).
2.4. Europe
Under the auspices of the European Cooperation in the Field of Scientic and Technical
Research (COST) programme of the European
Commission, a network has been established to
help coordinate research taking place in strict
forest reserves in 19 European countries. The
process established protocols for data collection both in a core area and over the whole
reserve, primarily to develop repeatable
methods of describing the stand structure
and ground vegetation. A Web-based forest
reserves databank is helping to coordinate
information. Natural forests are perhaps more
critically threatened in Europe than in any
other region, and the information will be used
to help identify and manage protected areas
and increase component of naturalness in
managed forests.143
2.5. Mediterranean Europe

In some cases, changes have progressed so far
that fully natural or near to natural reference
forests have been lost.The origin of many of the
fruit trees commonly found in Mediterranean
forests is often only very generally known for
example. Here the most useful references are
often old cultural forests that contain many
elements of biodiversity, and restoration programmes often aim to re-create these.144
Changes in access to reference forests can
dramatically increase our level of understanding of forest dynamics and therefore management options. For example, when Finnish forest
ecologists gained access to more natural forests
in the Russian Federation at the end of the
1980s, they revised their understanding about
disturbance patterns, recognising that snow
damage was a proportionately larger agent of
change than had been suspected. However,
reference forests seldom provide all necessary
information, particularly when changes have
been so profound that no natural forest
remains. Living reference forests are therefore
a useful tool but by no means the only method
143
142
Luoma, 1999.
111
144
Broekmeyer et al, 1993.

Moussouris and Regato, 1999.
112
N. Dudley
for determining targets. Some of the other tools

that may be used as surrogates for living reference forests are outlined below.
3. Outline of Tools
In most cases, reference landscapes are developed using a suite of different tools, the main
ones of which follow:
Reference forests: As described above, these
are probably the most valuable single source
of information.
Comparison with other ecologically similar
forests: Even if no nearby forests exist to act
as a reference, use of cumulative data around
the world can help to build our understanding about a forests ecology. For example,
knowledge about breeding patterns and population in many birds of prey allows ornithologists to make reasonably good predictions
about stable reproduction rates for species
based on body weight. Understanding about
forest re ecology can, with caution, be transferred from one ecosystem to another, at
least to develop working hypotheses. Other
elements, such as old growth characteristics,

have been found to translate rather poorly
from one forest ecosystem to another.
Comparison with original forest types:
Although it is often impossible to nd a
wholly unaltered forest ecosystem, numerous
well-thought-out attempts have been made
to describe ancient or natural forests: some
examples are given in Table 15.1.
Historical records: Written records can tell
us a great deal and sometimes stretch back
for hundreds or even thousands of years.
The oldest known written records of forest
management are 2000 years old and refer
to forests maintained to supply timber for
Shinto temples in Japan. Records from
written histories, religious scriptures, sagas,
and trade accounts can all provide valuable,
albeit usually fragmentary, information
about forests. Many supposedly natural
forests in the U.K. can be traced back to
recorded planting (often with the names of
the people who planted them). More recent
travellers accounts are frequently used to
provide information on past vegetation
patterns, such as the records kept by Italian
travellers in Eritrea a century ago that
Table 15.1. Denitions of original forests.

Denition
Ancient woodland
Frontier forest
Native forests
Old-growth in the Pacic

Northwest, United States
Primary woodland
Wildwood
1
2
3
4
5
6
Bunce, 1989.
Bryant et al, 1997.
Clark, 1992.
Johnson et al, 1991.
Peterken, 2002.
Rackham, 1976.
Explanation
Woodland that has been in existence for many centuries: precise time varies but in
the U.K., 400 years is commonly used1
Relatively undisturbed and big enough to maintain all their biodiversity, including
viable populations of the wide-ranging species associated with each forest type;
criteria include primarily forested; natural structure, composition, and
heterogeneity; dominated by indigenous tree species2
Meaning is variable: often forests consisting of species originally found in the area
may be young or old, established or naturally occurring, although in Australia often
used as if it were primary woodland3
A forest stand usually at least 180220 years old with moderate to high canopy
cover; a multi-layered multi-species canopy dominated by large over-storey trees4
Land that has been wooded continuously since the original-natural woodlands were
fragmented. The character of the woodland varies according to how it has been treated.5
Wholly natural woodland unaffected by Neolithic or later civilisation6
15. Identifying and Using Reference Landscapes for Restoration
now provide information for restoration

activities.
Forest fragments: Even quite unnatural
forest fragments or remnant microhabitats
can with care and caution, be used as partial
surrogates in areas where full reference
forests no longer exist. For instance, park
land and hedgerows both contain important
elements of natural forests in Western
Europe and can help set targets for restoration. Similarly sacred sites, preserved for
religious reasons, can contain species that
have disappeared from the surrounding area,
as in forest gardens and sacred groves in,
for instance, Indonesia, Laos, China, Kenya,
and Malawi.
Pollen analysis and soil microcarbon analysis:
Analysis of pollen in peat cores, lake beds, or
soil proles can identify plants from thousands of years ago, as pollen is highly resistant to decay, particularly in the anaerobic
conditions found in peat, and can often be
identied to the level of individual species.
Analysis along a core can show how vegetation changed over time, the presence and frequency of res, and sometimes information
about pollution. Such analysis is often the
only sure way of building a picture of past
vegetation where changes have been dramatic and living reference landscapes have
disappeared.
Gap analysis using enduring features: This
approach consists of a coarse-lter conservation assessment of protected areas based on
a landscape approach using enduring features (essentially land forms or physical
habitats) as geographic units that reect biological diversity. The gap analysis involves
three main stages. First, natural regional
frameworks are reviewed to ensure that
natural region boundaries reect broad physiographic and climatic gradients. Next, within
each natural region maps are used to identify
enduring features. An enduring feature is a
land form or landscape element or unit
within a natural region characterised by relatively uniform origin of parent material,
texture of parent material, and topographyrelief. Finally, the relationship of biodiversity to enduring features of the landscape
113
is derived from more detailed tertiary

sources.145
4. Future Needs
Although a lot of the tools are in place, there is
still little experience in combining them to
develop realistic targets for restoration exercises. Gaps go right back to the philosophical
roots of restoration and at what is being aimed
forfor example, original vegetation or just a
workable ecosystem at the present time. Much
better understanding of the likely process of
forest restoration itself is needed, along with
more accurate methods of measuring progress.
References
Broekmeyer, M.E.A., Vos, W., and Koop, H., eds.
1993. European Forest Reserves. Pudic Scientic
Publishers, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Bryant, D., Nielsen, D., and Tangley, L. 1997. The Last
Frontier Forests: Ecosystems and economies on
the edge. World Resources Institute, Washington,
DC.
Bunce, R.G.H. 1989. A Field Key for Classifying
British Woodland Vegetation. Institute of Terrestrial Ecology and HMSO, London.
Clark, J. 1992. The future for native logging in
Australia. Centre for Resource and Environmental Studies Working Paper 1992/1. The Australia
National University, Canberra.
Iacobelli, T., Kavanagh, K., and Rowe, S. 1994. A
Protected Areas Gap Analysis Methodology: Planning for the Conservation of Biodiversity. World
Wildlife Fund Canada, Toronto.
Janzen, D.H. 2002. Tropical dry forest: Area de Conservacin Guanacaste, northwestern Costa Rica.
In: Perrow, M.R., Davy, A.J., eds. Handbook of
Ecological Restoration, vol. 2, Restoration in Practice. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK,
pp. 559583.
Johnson, K.N., Franklin, J.F., Thomas, J.W., and
Gordon, J. 1991. Alternatives to Late-Successional
Forests of the Pacic Northwest. A Report to the
US House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Luoma, J.R. 1999. The Hidden Forest: The Biography
of an Ecosystem. Owl Books, New York.
145
Iacobelli et al, 1994.
114
N. Dudley
Moussouris, Y., and Regato, P. 1999. Forest harvest:

Mediterranean woodlands and the importance of
non-timber forest products to forest conservation.
Arborvitae supplement, WWF and IUCN, Gland,
Switzerland.
Peterken, G.F. 1996. Natural Woodland: Ecology and
Conservation in Northern Temperate Regions.
Peterken G. 2002. Reversing the Habitat Fragmentation of British Woodlands. WWF UK, Goldalming, UK.
Rackham, O. 1976.Trees and Woodland in the British
Landscape. Weidenfeld and Nicholson, London.
16
Mapping and Modelling as Tools to
Set Targets, Identify Opportunities,
and Measure Progress
Thomas F. Allnutt

Forest landscape restoration can benet
from mapping and use of geographical information systems (GIS) in several key ways,
but in particular by measuring and monitoring progress toward meeting biological and
socioeconomic targets via restoration.
Many potential methods exist to utilise maps
and GIS for landscape-scale restoration,
from the simple to the highly customised and
experimental.
1. Background and
Successfully planning, implementing, and monitoring projects that aim to restore forest landscapes involves the management and analysis
of spatial information, that is, quantitative and
qualitative two-dimensional data covering the
area of interest. For example, understanding
how a potential restoration site may or may not
meet a biodiversity goal such as increase
overall habitat connectivity from x to y to maintain the viability of species z requires maps
and basic statistics (size, isolation, etc.) for all
forest patches that occur across the landscape.
Many other spatial variables inuence the suitability and likely success of a given area for
restoration.Therefore, map-based technologies,
such as satellite remote sensing, aerial photo-
graphy, and geographic information systems

(GIS) have and will continue to provide many
benets to forest landscape restoration.
There are many ways GIS and other spatial
technologies can assist forest landscape restoration projects. At one end of the spectrum,
simple maps of forest cover, elevation, rivers,
communities, and roads are inherently useful
for understanding the ecological and human
context of the landscape. At the other extreme,
sophisticated and custom spatial models may
be constructed to simulate, for example, the
hydrological effects of forest restoration on
downstream watersheds. Here we focus on the
use of spatial data to develop spatial scenarios
that meet biological and socioeconomic targets.
Known as suitability modelling or multicriteria evaluation, this approach is one type of
GIS-based modelling utilising readily available
commercial GIS packages.
Specically, in this chapter we provide (1)
examples of the types of spatial data and some
common map-based measures useful for planning and monitoring restoration of forest landscapes, (2) examples of spatial tools and
technologies for deriving this information, and
(3) reviews of several recent applications of
spatial technologies to restoration.
1.1. Mapping Areas to Meet or

Set Targets
The targets and goals of the project determine
the types of spatial data to collect and spatial
analyses to conduct. There are two main types
115
116
T.F. Allnutt
Often, biological targets are derived directly

from existing large-scale conservation planning processes such as ecoregion conservation
(ERC).146 An initial product of an ERC vision
is a set of priority landscapes designed to meet
specic biological objectives, such as the conservation of an endangered primate. Where this
is the case, these targets can be used directly to
prioritise and implement restoration areas, for
example, preferentially conduct restoration
adjacent to known populations of the target
primate.
In other cases, no such information may exist.
Here, participants may rely on basic principles
of biological conservation to guide what targets
to select, and thus what spatial data sets are
needed. In general, space-based biological targets involve individual species (e.g., cheetah),147
habitat, or vegetation types (e.g., wetlands), or
ecological and evolutionary processes (e.g.,
migration, hydrology).148 Targets for these features are typically expressed as quantitative
areas or percentages of the total distribution of
the biological element in question (e.g., 1000
hectares of oak-savannah).
Once biological targets are established,
several classes of spatial data are necessary to
map where they may be achieved on the
ground. In many cases, existing map sources
may be used; in others, maps will have to be
created using modelling or technologies such as
remote sensing.
To evaluate species-based targets, one rst

needs to know the current distribution of all
target species within the landscape at the nest
level of detail possible. Range maps are one
potential surrogate for this information and
they are increasingly available for a number of
taxa worldwide.149 In other cases, modelling
may be used to predict species distributions
from eld collections coupled with environmental data.150 Often, and particularly at ne
scales, eld-based inventories will be required
to assess the presence or absence of certain key
species.
Another common type of biological target
involves particular habitat and/or vegetation
types. Several sources of data are available to
evaluate this type of target. Existing maps and
classications are often used, from national or
regional inventories, for example. In other
cases, new maps may be created from raw photographs or the processing of photographs or
digital images. The most widespread source
is remote sensingtypically photographs or
digital imagery from airplanes or satelliteborne sensors. New, high-resolution imagery
(submetre) provides a good source for mapping
natural habitats as well as human land uses,
though cost can be a signicant constraint.
In areas of high species and habitat heterogeneity, optical remote-sensing may not be able
to distinguish biological differences to a necessary degree. Forest that is indistinguishable
spectrallyfrom the perspective of a camera
or satelliteis often very diverse biologically.
Here, habitat modelling can be used to map
areas where one expects species to differ signicantly. A range of approaches are available,
from the quick and approximate, to more
formal statistical methods.151 Elevation, for
example, is often used as a proxy for species
distributions, and can be used to quickly divide
a continuously mapped forest type into several
or more forest habitats (lowland, sub-montane,
montane, etc.).
146
149
of targets, biological and socioeconomic. Although not all targets are spatial in nature
(e.g., prevent the extinction of species x),
many are. Some examples of spatial targets
include Protect x hectares of habitat y or
Establish x hectares of community forest
reserves. Planning for and evaluating progress
toward a target such as the latter type requires
appropriate spatial data.
1.1.1. Biological Targets
147
148
Dinerstein et al, 2000.

Lambeck, 1997.
Pressey et al, 2003.
150
151
Ridgely et al, 2003.

Boitani et al, 1999.
Ferrier et al, 2002.
16. Mapping and Modelling
The spatial conguration of the restoration

landscape is of critical importance for biodiversity conservation for several reasons. One,
the long-term survival of many species often
depends directly on the size and connectivity of
available habitat. The reasons for this are generally (a) individuals and populations require
sufcient outbreeding opportunities that are
only available in habitat blocks of a particular
size, and (b) the species in question has ecological requirements (e.g., seasonal migration) that
require large connected blocks of habitat. In
both cases, research may be necessary to assess
the habitat conguration necessary for the
target species. Two, many environmental and
ecological processes will not be maintained
once habitat fragments drop below a particular
threshold of isolation or fragmentation. The
maintenance of natural hydrological ows in
watersheds, for example, can depend on the size
and connectivity of intact forest blocks.
1.1.2. Socioeconomic Targets

The second major class of targets are socioeconomic. In some cases, socioeconomic targets
will have been specied when the landscape
was identied within a priority setting exercise
(e.g., the visioning process in ecoregion conservation), though this is less often the case than
with biological targets. Socioeconomic targets
that require spatial data generally specify target
amounts of land uses within the landscape. This
may involve zoning one portion of the landscape for a particular land use. For example,
participants may wish to have one third of the
landscape devoted to community forestry. In
other cases, the entire landscape (apart from
those areas reserved for biodiversity conservation) may be zoned for particular land uses,
akin to a traditional land-use plan or zoning
map.
Mapping areas to meet socioeconomic
targets requires a detailed and up-to-date landcover map. This map shows the current distribution of natural and human-oriented areas in
as much detail and at as ne a scale as possible
and it can be derived from existing land-use/
land-cover maps for the area, or may be created
117
from aerial and remote sensing sources coupled

with ground truth. The map of current land uses
serves as the starting point; a map of future land
uses shows those areas where changes in land
uses will be necessary to meet socioeconomic
targets.
1.1.3. Land Tenure and Land Value

The legal status and ownership of land (land
tenure) within the landscape, and the economic
value of that land are also important for planning forest landscape restoration. Sometimes
this information can be derived from existing
maps available from local or national government organisations, particularly in the case of
land tenure. In other cases, ground surveys will
need to be conducted to establish tenure and
land value of unknown areas. Spatial economic
modelling has also been used to estimate land
value. Rules are constructed that allow one to
estimate the value of every parcel of land
within the area of interest, based on variables
such as market access, for example.
1.3. Mapping Opportunities:

Integrating Biological and
Socioeconomic Data to Meet
Targets and Map Opportunities
Some areas are more suitable than others for
particular uses. Analysis of spatial data has the
potential to efciently allocate areas to one use
or another. This idea is formalised in land-use
plans or more formally via suitability modelling
otherwise known as multicriteria evaluation
(MCE).152
Suitability modelling or MCE using GIS
can be used to systematically combine spatial,
biological, physical and socioeconomic data
detailed above in order to meet biological and
socioeconomic objectives via restoration. Here
are two generic examples:
1. Map suitability for a single biological or
socioeconomic target. As an example, imagine
152
Eastman et al, 1993.
118
T.F. Allnutt
one biological target for the landscape is to

maintain a viable population of a primate. It
is estimated that the target primate requires
25,000 hectares of habitat between 1000 and
3000 m in elevation, in a single, connected block
of forest. There are currently only 15,000
hectares of suitable forest within the landscape,
in two disconnected blocks. Therefore, the challenge is to map at least 10,000 hectares to
restore based on the habitat criteria required
for the species: elevation, size, and connectivity.
Three maps are created. One shows all areas in
the target range of 1000 to 3000 m, one ranks
areas according to their potential to rejoin the
disconnected blocks, and one ranks areas by
their proximity to existing good habitat for the
primate. These three maps are standardised to
a common numeric range, and then combined
by means of a weighted average, to produce a
continuous map of suitability. The most suitable
areas are those that are close to existing intact
habitat, connect the two blocks, and are the
right elevation. The highest scoring areas (those
that come close to meeting all three criteria)
are selected until the target of 10,000 hectares
is met. These form the priority restoration areas
for this biological target. The same process may
be used to map suitable areas for socioeconomic targets.
2. Incorporating socioeconomic data as a
constraint on suitable areas for biological
targets. Just as physical and biological criteria
may be combined to identify suitable restoration areas to meet biological targets, socioeconomic criteria, such as land use or land value,
can also be incorporated in the process. For
example, imagine two parcels of land that, when
restored, would be equal in every way for
meeting the above biological target. They are
equivalent in elevation, in proximity to existing
forest, and in terms of connecting the two forest
blocks. One parcel is currently actively used for
agricultural production, whereas the other has
been abandoned for several years. For several
reasons, it would likely be easier to restore the
abandoned parcel. Thus, including socioeconomic data in the MCE process can help to
efciently identify restoration priorities when
there are choices of areas to meet biological
targets.
1.4. Monitoring
A key benet of using quantitative spatial data
and targets for both biological and socioeconomic variables throughout the planning and
implementation process is that it facilitates
long-term monitoring as the project proceeds.
Remote sensing in particular provides a relatively quick and inexpensive, synoptic, repeatable view of large-scale changes to land uses
and land cover over time within the landscape.
Clearly this will have to be paired with reviews
of progress toward those biological and socioeconomic targets that cannot be measured
remotely. A current disadvantage is the lack of
long-term large-scale attempts at systematic monitoring of conservation programmes,
though efforts are currently underway at a
number of places and institutions.
2. Examples
Examples abound of the use of maps and GIS
in the elds of planning and conservation.153
Generally speaking, however, there are few
examples of its application to forest restoration
planning. One exception is the recent work of
J. Halperin, in which GIS was used for participatory, community-based, large-scale restoration planning in Uganda.154
The WWF network has only recently begun
to apply GIS to its restoration initiatives. The
United Nations Environment ProgrammeWorld Conservation Monitoring Centre
(UNEP-WCMC) used GIS to prioritise areas
for WWF-based restoration projects in North
Africa.155 Biological attributes such as species
richness, forest integrity, and patch size were
balanced against human pressures including
road density, grazing pressure, and resource use.
As of early 2004, there are two additional projects underway. In one, in the Andresito landscape (Argentina) of the Atlantic Forest, there
are plans to use suitability modelling with
IDRISI to identify key restoration corridors in
153
154
155
see e.g., Eghenter, 2000; Herrman and Osinski, 1999.

Halperin et al, 2004.
UNEP-WCMC, 2003.
16. Mapping and Modelling
conjunction with a set of stakeholders from

the region. Similarly, GIS is being used in
Madagascar to map and prioritise suitable
areas for restoration within a large landscape
that needs to be restored. Here, biological
targets are being established for six IUCN redlisted vertebrates. Criteria are being established
to map suitable habitat for each species in order
to evaluate current status within the landscape.
Where current habitat is insufcient for longterm viability of each population, areas will be
prioritised for restoration based on connectivity, proximity to known populations, and habitat
characteristics. Socioeconomic data will be used
as a constraint where options exist to meet biological targets. This work is in its initial stages
and is expected to continue through 2005.
3. Outline of Tools
Standard vector-based GIS softwareESRI
(ArcMap, ArcView, Arcinfo)is the standard
GIS virtually worldwide. It is available at low
cost to conservation organisations, and it performs all types of GIS functions, from basic
mapping to advanced analyses, especially when
customised or linked to other programmes
(e.g., statistical software, etc.).
Standard raster-based GISIDRISI, ESRI
(Spatial Analyst, GRID for Arcview, ArcMap,
and Arcinfo), ERDAS. The IDRISI and ESRI
products are low cost (for educational or nonprot companies) GISs capable of doing rasterbased analyses (e.g., most analyses involving
remotely sensed imagery). IDRISI includes
functions for easily stepping through suitability
models and MCE as part of its decision support
package. ERDAS is a much more expensive
software designed primarily to analyse satellite
imagery and other remotely sensed data.
4. Future Needs
A key need is for participatory GIS-based decision-support tools designed specically for
restoration in a biodiversity conservation context. Similarly, research is needed into tools to
strengthen linkages between site-based restora-
119
tion research and spatial decision making with

GIS. Recently, several new GIS models are in
use that have been used extensively for spatial
planning in conservation, notably C-Plan156 and
SITES/Marxan.157 These particular applications
are currently, generally speaking, spatial optimisation tools designed to meet representation
targets in conservation plans. There is tremendous potential, however, especially with the
simulated-annealing algorithm used by Marxan
(and now SPOT among other tools) to optimise
any given set of objectives (such as restoration)
in a spatial model. Research is urgently needed
to expand these tools to meet other objectives
beyond simple reservation and representation.
References
Boitani, L. (coordinator), Corsi, F., De Biase, A., et
al. 1999.A databank for the conservation and management of African Mammals. Institute of Applied
Ecology, Rome, Italy.
Dinerstein, E., Powell, G., Olson, D. et al. 2000.
A Workbook for Conducting Biological Assessments and Developing Biodiversity Visions
for Ecoregion-Based Conservation. Conservation
Science Programme, World Wildlife Fund,
Washington, DC.
Eastman, J.R., Kyem, P.A.K., Toledano, J., and Jin, W.
1993. GIS and Decision Making, UNITAR. Explorations in GIS Technology, Vol. 4. UNITAR,
Geneva.
Eghenter, C. 2000. Mapping Peoples Forests: The
Role of Mapping in Planning Community-Based
Management of Conservation Areas in Indonesia.
Biodiversity Support Programme, Washington,
DC.
Ferrier, S. 2002. Mapping spatial pattern in biodiversity for regional conservation planning: where to
from here? Systematic Biology 51:331363.
Halperin, J.J., Shear, T.H., Munishi, P.K.T., and
Wentworth, T.R. 2004. Multiple-objective forestry
planning in biodiversity hotspots of east Africa.
In preparation.
Herrman, S., and Osinski, E. 1999. Planning sustainable land use in rural areas at different spatial
levels using GIS and modelling tools. Landscape
and Urban Planning 46:93101.
156
157
Pressey et al, 1995

Leslie et al, 2003; McDonnell et al, 2002.
120
T.F. Allnutt
Lambeck, R.J. 1997. Focal species: a multi-species

umbrella for nature conservation. Conservation
Biology 11:849856.
Leslie, H., Ruckelshaus, R., Ball, I.R., Andelman, S.,
and Possingham, H.P. 2003. Using siting algorithms
in the design of marine reserve networks. Ecological Applications 13:S185S198.
McDonnell, M.D., Possingham, H.P., Ball, I.R., and
Cousins, E.A. 2002. Mathematical methods for
spatially cohesive reserve design. Environmental
Modelling and Assessment 7:107114.
Pressey, R.L., Cowling, R.M., and Rouget, M. 2003.
Formulating conservation targets for biodiversity
pattern and process in the Cape Floristic Region,
South Africa. Biological Conservation 112:99127.
Pressey, R.L., Ferrier, S., Hutchinson, C.D., Sivertsen,
D.P., and Manion, G. 1995. Planning for negotiation: using an interactive geographic information
system to explore alternative protected area networks. In: Saunders, D.A., Craig, J.L., Mattiske,
E.M., eds. Nature Conservation: The Role of Networks. Surrey Beatty and Sons, Sydney, pp. 2333.
Ridgely, R.S., Allnutt, T.F. Brooks, T., et al. 2003.
Digital Distribution Maps of the Birds of the
Western Hemisphere. Version 1.0. CD-ROM.
NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
UNEP-WCMC. 2003. Spatial analysis as a decision

support tool for forest landscape restoration.
Report to WWF.
Additional Reading
George, T.L., and Zack, S. 2001. Spatial and temporal considerations in restoring habitat for wildlife.
Restoration Ecology 9:272.
Huxel, G.R., and Hastings, A. 2001. Habitat loss, fragmentation, and restoration. Restoration Ecology
7:309.
Jankowski, P., and Nyerges, T. 2001. Geographic
Information Systems for Group Decision Making.
Taylor and Francis, New York.
Loiselle, B.A., Howell, C.A. Graham, C.H., et al.
2003. Avoiding pitfalls of using species distribution
models in conservation planning. Conservation
Biology 6:15911600.
Wickam, J.D., Jones, B.K., Riiters, K.H., Wade, T.G.,
and ONeill, R.V. 1999. Transitions in forest fragmentation: implications for restoration opportunities at regional scales. Landscape Ecology 14:
137145.
17
Policy Interventions for Forest
Nigel Dudley

Changing policy toward restoration or land
use is often the most effective way of stimulating large-scale restoration.
Such policy changes can be addressed, in different ways, at a local scale (e.g., changing
grazing patterns), a national scale (e.g.,
modifying forestry laws), or a global scale
(e.g., ensuring that international conventions
favour high-quality restoration).
Key tools in policy interventions include
good analysis, especially economic analysis,
case studies, and advocacy.
1. Background and
Localised and site-based interventions to restore habitat can be very useful, and much of
what we have learned about ecological restoration comes from small-scale initiatives,
primarily carried out by nongovernmental
organisations (NGOs) and local communities
but also to an increasing extent by forwardlooking companies and government departments. We also describe further in this book
(see Practical Interventions that Will Support Restoration in Broad-Scale Conservation
Based on WWF Experiences) how strategic
use of such initiatives can have wider benets,
for example by linking patches of existing

habitat, by providing fuelwood to places that
are otherwise without energy sources, or by
preventing erosion. However, small-scale initiatives are inevitably limited in what they can
achieve on their own and are usually expensive,
stretching the resources of the organisations or
communities that carry them out. Accordingly,
it is often more effective to spend effort in
changing policies at local, provincial, national,
regional or even global level to encourage
restoration at a broader scale. Many NGOs
undertake restoration initiatives to use them
as a lever to change policies, by, for example,
showing that different approaches can be more
effective or cost less money. But although
working examples can be powerful tools in
stimulating change, they usually need to be
accompanied by effective advocacy and a thorough understanding of the policy climate.
Policy change can operate at many different
levels. At the most local level, it can include
changing policies within a single community158
or landscape to stimulate forest restoration.
Examples include:
Agreed changes in grazing regimes to allow
natural regeneration, perhaps agreeing to
protect different zones at different times
Voluntary controls on collection of nontimber forest products to ensure that these are
not degraded
158
Sithole, 2000.
121
122
N. Dudley
Collective investment in tree planting, for

instance to establish fuelwood plantations
Whilst such interventions are already a
regular feature of many large conservation or
conservation and development projects, they
are again quite limited in scope. A far more signicant change can be affected if national policies are changed in favour of more sympathetic
restoration, for example:
Modication of national forestry laws to
allow old-growth forest to remain, facilitate
retention of deadwood, or remove perverse
incentives that discourage restoration
Changing national forest restoration or afforestation programmes to increase the
range of goods and services that they provide
(for example, reducing the proportion of
intensive plantations and increasing assisted
natural regeneration)
There are also increasingly opportunities
to change policies that transcend national
borders,159 thus potentially having an impact on
a global or a regional scale. Along with intergovernmental bodies, such transnational policy
can also involve companies that operate in
many countries or bilateral and multilateral
donors, including the following:
Introduction of pro-restoration clauses within international treaties or incentives, such
as using carbon offsets for forest restoration under the U.N. Framework Convention
on Climate Change, or specic policy recommendations of global forest initiatives such as
the U.N. Forum on Forests
Integration of restoration into funding opportunities or legislative requirements from
regional agreements such as those of the
European Community
Development of company policies for restoration after mineral extraction, infrastructure developments, etc.
Modication of projects funded by bilateral
or multilateral donor agencies
2. Examples
2.1. Altai Sayan, Russia
Russias rst woodland area to be certied
under the Forest Stewardship Council is still
managed collectively and includes large areas
of woodland on sandy soils dominated by
birchused for specialist products sold by the
Body Shop chain. The certication process
included agreement by farming cooperatives on
changes in sheep grazing to leave some areas
untouched for long enough to foster regeneration of birch woods.159a
2.2. Latvia
Latvian forestry inherited legislation crafted by
the Soviet Union, which included the use of
large clearcuts and a requirement to manage
forests including removal of deadwood. As a
result, dead standing and lying timber is in short
supply in many woodlands, leading to a decline in many saproxylic (deadwood living)
species.160 This is particularly serious at a European scale because Latvias forests contain
some of the richest biodiversity in the continent. WWF in Latvia has worked with the government to change the forestry regulations
to allow retention of deadwood in managed
forests, thus opening the opportunity of increasing this threatened microhabitat.
2.3. Vietnam
The governments ve million hectare reforestation programme aims to restore forest
cover but in practice hampers local exibility.
Although large plantations have been established, it seems likely that in several provinces
much money has been wasted in places where
forest cover remains high. In theory funding
can be used to support natural regeneration, for
example in the buffer zones of protected areas,
as is already happening around Song Thanh
Nature Reserve. The WWF Indochina Programme is working with the government to
159a
159
Tarasofsky, 1999.
Information drawn from site visit as part of certication team, 1998.

160
Rotbergs, 1994.
17. Policy Interventions for Forest Landscape Restoration
modify the way in which funds are used, both

to increase natural forest restoration and to
ensure that established forests are retained and
gain higher value (see detailed case study
Monitoring Forest Landscape Restoration in
Vietnam).
2.4. European Community

Throughout the European Union (EU) region,
restoration of natural woodlands is hampered
in areas of sheep or goat grazing because
farmers receive hectare-based payments depending on the area capable of being
grazed.161 To obtain maximum funds, woodlands are opened to grazing, which means that
young seedlings fail to establish, resulting in
gradually aging forest. In some cases, woodlands that have been fenced with EU funds to
encourage regeneration are now being opened
up again. It is recognised that the key to facilitating regeneration in many areas is not further
grants for tree planting but a removal of perverse incentives (see Perverse Policy Incentives and case study The European Unions
Afforestation Policies and their Real Impact on
Forest Restoration) by changing incentives
schemes within the Common Agricultural
Policy to reduce the reasons for allowing sheep
grazing in woodlands.
123
of forest management including natural regeneration and increase of retention of deadwood

and humus components. Research suggests that
innovative use of carbon markets has aided
forest regeneration, with the side benet of also
increasing tourism in these areas.162
2.6. LafargeQuarry Restoration

in Kenya
The Kyoto protocol of the U.N. Framework

Convention on Climate Change allows for governments to offset some of their carbon emissions, or trade other countries emissions,
through tree planting. Initial proposals
focussed largely on the establishment of intensive plantations of exotic species, but research
suggests that the long-term carbon sequestration benets of such plantations are very
limited, as they are used mainly for short-term
products such as paper and cardboard that are
quickly abandoned and break down. Central
American governments have been amongst
those most active in lobbying for modication
of the Kyoto protocol to allow different kinds
Lafarge, based in France, is now the largest

quarrying company in the world. The development of its policy toward forest landscape
restoration is an example of how small-scale
interventions can lead to larger restoration
policy initiatives.
Lafarges forest restoration work started
with a series of site-based interventions. The
former quarry of the Bamburi cement plant
near Mombasa in Kenya was mined for 20
years. In the early 1970s, a rehabilitation programme was started to restore the site as a
nature reserve. After a phase of soil formation
using the leaf litter of introduced pioneer trees,
a large number of tree and other plant species
typical of the indigenous coastal forests were
also planted. The success of these was observed
over time in order to select those species that
proved suitable for planting on a larger scale to
replace the pioneer trees. In addition to trees of
potential economic value (such as Iroko and
other indigenous hardwood, which is valuable
for local crafts such as carving), endangered
species and those that provide habitat or food
for indigenous wildlife have also been planted:
to date, 422 indigenous plant species have been
introduced into the newly created ecosystems of forests, wetlands, and grasslands in
Bamburis former quarries. Of these 364 have
survived, including 30 that are on the IUCN
Red List of Threatened Species for Kenya.
Lafarge also started working with WWF on
policy issues, including supporting the organisations forest landscape restoration initiative.
In April 2002, Bamburi signed a partnership
agreement with WWF East Africa, and identied forest landscape restoration as one of the
priority partnership activities, including the
161
162
2.5. Central America
Joint Nature Conservation Committee, 2002.
Miranda et al, 2004.
124
N. Dudley
need to establish a biodiversity monitoring

system in partnership with WWF, in order
to dene guidelines for ecological quarry
rehabilitation.
In 2001 Lafarge adopted a formal quarry
rehabilitation policy with the participation of
WWF to spread best practice in terms of quarrying work and relations with local stakeholders. The most important elements of this policy
are to plan restoration from the outset and
coordinate restoration with quarrying activities.
In addition to biodiversity issues, land planning
considerations are also taken into account
when dening a rehabilitation project in order
both to preserve the environment and to generate income for the local communities. In this
framework quarry rehabilitation often leads to
the creation of wetlands and natural reserves or
leisure areas.
3. Outline of Tools
Stimulating policy changes requires hard and
convincing analysis, including economic analysis, a clear message, and sometimes some targeted and effective advocacy. In cases where
nancial support is being changed around in
favour of more balanced forms of restoration,
it may also include economic incentives. Some
key tools are as follows:
Economic analysis is useful to make the case
for restoration or for different kinds of restoration. Examples might include demonstrating
that retention of deadwood within managed
forests does not entail excessive cost, or
showing that natural regeneration is cheaper
than replanting. For example, a WWF/World
Bank economic analysis convinced the government of Bulgaria to change plans for establishing intensive poplar plantations on islands in the
Danube with natural regeneration,163 and an
analysis for Forestry Commission economists in
Wales, U.K., persuaded the government agency
to use natural regeneration in an area of forest
because it proved cheaper than replanting.
Economic incentives encourage individuals
and groups to make space for restoration,
including both ofcial incentive schemes and

incentives through the market, such as certication. Targeted incentives have been used very
successfully to encourage restoration, for
instance through conservation easements to
take land out of production, as has occurred
widely in the U.S., through direct support for
tree planting as successfully implemented on
a large scale in parts of Pakistan, or through
tax incentives as in several Latin American
countries.164
Case studies show that restoration can work
and pay for itself. The case of the restored
quarry near Mombasa showed that restoration
was not an impossibly expensive task and
helped to encourage Lafarge, the company concerned, to introduce a wider policy. Case studies
only work, however, if they are carefully prepared and include all the relevant information
needed to make policy decisions, and if they
reach the attention of the right policy makers.
Advocacy entails campaigns or lobbying
to encourage change.165 Targeted lobbying has
been successful, for example, in changing some
conditions in the Kyoto Protocol to allow
greater latitude for natural regeneration.
Codes of practice are developed by working
with other stakeholders (e.g., industry) to agree
and implement them voluntarily and to encourage restoration. The International Tropical Timber Organisation recently completed detailed
guidelines for natural regeneration, in association with IUCN and WWF, which provide an
example of this approach.166 As with case
studies, however, such codes are only worth the
investment in developing them if they are
implemented in practice.
4. Future Needs
Many of these ideas remain in their infancy. We
still require far better understanding of the
economic and other benets of environmental
goods and services from restoration in order to
make the case, for example, for natural regen164
165
163
Ecott, 2002.
166
Piskulich, 2001.
Byers, 2000.
ITTO, 2002.
17. Policy Interventions for Forest Landscape Restoration
eration rather than other land uses or for

changes in major funding initiatives such as
those under the European Common Agricultural Policy. More generally, major changes are
still needed in global trade policy to remove the
perverse incentives that currently act against
restoration in many areas.
References
Byers, B. 2000. Understanding and Inuencing
Behaviour. Biodiversity Support Programme,
Washington DC
Ecott, T. 2002. Forest Landscape Restoration:
Working Examples from Five Ecoregions. WWF,
Gland, Switzerland.
International Tropical Timber Organisation. 2002.
ITTO Guidelines for the Restoration, Management and Rehabilitation of Degraded and
Secondary Tropical Forests. ITTO, Yokohama,
Japan
125
Joint Nature Conservation Committee. 2002. Environmental effects of the Common Agricultural
Policy and possible mitigation measures. Report to
the Department of Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs, Peterborough, UK.
Miranda, M., Moreno, M.L., and Porras, I.T. 2004.The
social impacts of carbon markets in Costa Rica:
the case of the Huetar Norte region. International Institute of Environment and Development,
London.
Piskulich, Z. 2001. Incentives for the Conservation of
Private Lands in Latin America. Biodiversity
Support Programme.The Nature Conservancy and
USAID, Arlington, Virginia.
Rotbergs, U. 1994. Forests and forestry in Latvia. In:
Paulenka, J., and Paule, L., eds. Conservation of
Forests in Central Europe. Arbora Publishers,
Zvolen, Slovakia.
Sithole, B. 2000. Where the Power Lies: Multiple
Stakeholder Politics Over Natural ResourcesA
Participatory Methods Guide. Center for International Forestry Research, Bogor, Indonesia.
Tarasofsky, R. 1999. Assessing the International
Forest Regime. IUCN Environmental Law Centre,
Bonn, Germany.
18
Negotiations and Conict
Management
Scott Jones and Nigel Dudley

Forest landscape restoration relies on
achieving broad consensus among a variety
of stakeholders.
However, stakeholders may have very different perceptions of what forest landscapes
should provide.
This will require a certain amount of negotiation and possible conict resolution.
1. Background and
Forest landscape restoration approaches use
the restoration of forest functions as an entry
point to identify and build a diversity of social,
ecological, and economic benets at a landscape scale. As such they rely on achieving
broad consensus on a range of restoration
interventions from a variety of stakeholders,
who may have very different perceptions of
what forest landscapes should provide. This
requires effective negotiation among stakeholders whose negotiation skills, interests,
needs, and power are often markedly different.
However, the success of forest landscape
restoration approaches often hinges on how
successfully such negotiations are conducted.
The principles of forest landscape restoration,
therefore, aim at restoring forests to provide
126
multiple social and environmental benets

through processes that involve stakeholder participation. The achievement of these ambitious
goals relies on nding a successful passage
through an array of practical challenges. These
include the implications of current and future
land tenure, competing land uses, and reaching a balance between different management
regimes. Success depends on the ability of those
initiating or guiding a forest landscape restoration project to manage the tensions and
conicts that will arise on the way. This, in turn,
implies a certain amount of knowledge about
how to identify, analyse, and manage conict,
retaining the varied, useful perspectives that
are helpfully expressed through conict, while
resolving or mitigating those aspects of conict
that are dangerous or prevent project success.
1.1. Types of Conict

There are two aspects that characterise conicts: their openness and the type of conict.
Conict can be concealed or open167; either
can cause problems in developing successful
landscape-scale approaches to restoration:
Open conicts: everyone can see them and
knows about them.
Hidden conicts: some people can see them
and know about them, but hide them
from others (particularly outsiders), perhaps
because of cultural or social reasons (e.g.,
167
DFID, 2002a; Fisher et al, 2000.
18. Negotiations and Conict Management
Designing a process (plan)
Conflict analysis
Principles
Tools
Experience
127
Conflict
management
Capacity building
Rapport
Communication
Perceptions
Process management
Figure 18.1. Building blocks in the conict management process: elements in a conict situation.
many gender-related conicts) or because

disputes may be embarrassing to the community (e.g., disagreements between young
people and elders).
Latent conicts: these come to the surface
when something changes the status quo. For
example, if a restoration project brings benets (money, power, inuence, equipment),
their distribution can create conicts that
were not there before the project arrived.
There are also different types of conict. It is
important to understand which type of conict
one is facing since each needs addressing in a
different way.
Interpersonal conicts: between two or more
people relating to personality differences
Conicts of interest: someone wants something that another has (e.g., money, power,
land, inuence, inheritance)
Conicts about process: how different
people, groups, and organisations solve problems (e.g., legal, customary, institutional)
Structural conicts: the most deep-seated
type relating to major differences that are
hard to address (e.g., unequal social structures, unfair legal systems, economic power
biased toward certain stakeholders, or differences in deep-seated values, such as cultural
or religious)
Sometimes one type of conict, perhaps
unthinkingly, is disguised as another, for
instance a personality clash may be presented
as an issue of process.
1.2. Elements in a Conict

Situation
Managing conict is not a straightforward
process. Rather, there are a number of key
building blocks in a conict management
process that interrelate and must often be
undertaken in parallel (Figure 18.1168):
Conict analysis is about understanding who
the different stakeholders are, what are their
strengths, fears, needs, and interests, and how
they perceive or understand the conict(s).
Capacity-building is about helping people to
manage conict. It may be required at any
time. For example, it may take place prior
to negotiations because some stakeholders
need to develop negotiation skills. It may
take place before agreements are signed
because different groups like to have agreements in different forms; it is important that
all groups have the capacity to understand
each others approaches to problem solving
and reaching agreements. Capacity-building
often takes the form of training (e.g., in negotiations or people skills), but sometimes
other resources are needed.
Designing a process is about planning who
to bring together, where, when, and how.
The most effective conict management
processes are usually exible, iterative, and
capable of keeping stakeholders on board as
events, issues, and even the attitudes of the
conicting parties change.
168
Modied from Warner and Jones, 1998.
128
S. Jones and N. Dudley
Test
agreement(s) for
achievability
[reality testing]
Acknowledge
and embrace
different
perceptions Accommodate
cultural
differences
Try to achieve
mutual gainsaim
to achieve early
agreement on
something
Explore
possibilities for
reframing
power, needs,
options
Seek and
engage with
diversity
Build and
maintain
effective
communications
ConsensusBuilding
Principles
Allow sufficient
time for
analysis given
your resources
Widen
options
before
narrowing to
solutions
Develop and
manage
good rapport
Focus on
underlying
needs, not initial
demands
Understand
and try to
equalize
power
Figure 18.2. Principles for successful negotiation.168a
Process management is about how to build

and maintain effective ways of working with
the parties, to retain exibility and patience,
while still keeping focussed on outcomes and
working toward success on the criteria that
stakeholders have agreed to, for example,
how to convene an effective meeting with
clear goals, or how to monitor an agreement.
Achieving these things requires adhering to
certain principles (e.g., mutual respect, being
accountable, recognising the potential and
limits of your inuence, see Figure 18.2), using

certain tools (e.g., stakeholder and gender
analysis), and applying key experience (e.g.,
with similar projects or with these people in
other projects). They also require key people
skills, among the most important of which are
maintaining good rapport and effective communications, and effectively engaging with the
multiple perspectives.169
168a
169
Modied from Warner, 2001.

Jones, 1998.
129
Box 18.1. Examples of Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement (BATNA) in the

Context of Forest Landscape Restoration
The loggers simply dont want to negotiate at
all. They are going to go ahead and cut
those trees.
BATNAWhat about going to the newspapers? Let the media know that this
biodiversity hotspot is threatened and
local people are suffering.
The donor is not able to give you another grant
to add an extra component to this work.
BATNAPerhaps write a report that helps
to bring the donors expectations in line
with your capacity to deliver.
The people in the community feel powerless
to enter face-to-face negotiations with the
1.3. BATNA (Best Alternative to a

Negotiated Agreement)169a
Negotiations are a voluntary process. But what
if the other person is completely inexible,
breaks the ground rules you agreed to, and only
wants his or her own way. In short, what if the
other person does not want to negotiate? Similarly, what if the other person is negotiating in
good faith, you have excellent communications,
and trust each other, but it is simply not possible (in his or her view) to meet even your
bottom line needs? Under these circumstances, you need an alternative to negotiation.
There may be several alternatives. What you
really need is the best one.
So what would be your best alternative to
a negotiated agreement? In the (unfortunate)
language of conict management, this has
become known as a BATNA (best alternative to
a negotiated agreement). Box 18.1 illustrates
some examples of where a BATNA may be
appropriate.
169a
Fisher and Ertel, 1995.
government and the large Geneva-based and

Washington, DCbased agencies.
BATNAPossibly see if a mediator can be
found who would be acceptable to both
sides.
The negotiations went well and trust is high,
but the government was unable to agree
involvement of their ofcials due to government rules.
BATNAPerhaps work with another
NGO with relevant expertise that can
complement you but has no government
restrictions over committing ofcial
staff.
1.4. Project and Process

Management
Any approach to forest landscape restoration
requires time and resources to identify, to agree
to, and to manage the process. Different agencies have different approaches to project and
process management, developed perhaps from
commercial approaches or international development models. Clearly, in the world of logical
frameworks, multi-stakeholder partnerships,
and collaborative management schemes, the
management process itself is a subject for negotiation that requires the full range of skills and
principles discussed above.
Conicts over one form of management
indicate an opportunity to search for other
approaches that can helpfully deal with the
legal, nancial, political, and operational issues
that any complex project or programme
involves. It follows that successful forest landscape design will be able to identify and engage
with different management approaches and
use the negotiation process to build ownership
while deciding roles and responsibilities. Sometimes one agency or another will desperately
seek management control, and the task is to
negotiate shared understandings and responsi-
130
bilities. At other times, it is a hard task to identify any agency that feels able to take management responsibility. Again, this is an opportunity
to explore why, and to undertake a collective
search for a solution that supports stakeholders
who are willing to put their names forward.
1.5. Negotiation Health Warning

Finally, it is important to note that like other
aspects of conict management, negotiation is
a culturally bound process. Different societies,
groups, agencies, and organisations all have
different cultures and approaches to managing
conict. While much of the literature on negotiations is Western and business-oriented, there
needs to be a high degree of cultural sensitivity
and contextually located understanding to
proceed with negotiations, especially where
many different cultures are involved in multistakeholder negotiations.
2. Examples
There is very limited experience in applying
conict resolution and negotiation skills to
landscape initiatives in forest restoration. We
highlight here just a few examples from other
chapters in this book that have shown some
successful or interesting outcomes through
negotiations.
In Vietnam, a three-dimensional paper and
cardboard model was used to bring stakeholders together around their landscape
to identify specic elements within it. The
process was aimed at reconciling different
views of the landscape and what it could look
like in the future. It provided those around
the model with the opportunity to express
their views on the importance of different
elements in the landscape (more information
on this example can be found in Assessing
and Addressing Threats in Restoration Programmes).
In Malaysia, an ongoing negotiation process
with oil palm plantation companies is gradually ensuring a change in the companies policies related to restoration. Whereas initially
the companies converted their entire estates
to oil palm, they are now gradually allocating

part of their land for natural regeneration
and plantation of local species (for more on
this example see Restoring Quality in Existing Native Forest Landscapes).
In Jordan, negotiation between goat herders
and park authorities ensured a reduction
in grazing, thus allowing for more natural
regeneration (for more on this example see
Restoration of Protected Area Values).
3. Outline of Tools
Learning and applying the tools and skills for
successful conict management cannot come
from reading books or attending courses alone,
but also involves long periods of trial and error,
and observationlearning by doing. Many
participatory techniques described elsewhere in
this book are relevant. Tools and skill sets for
conict management that are particularly relevant include those relating to analysis, capacity
building,communications,creative thinking,negotiation, and project and process management.
3.1. Negotiation Process

Negotiating involves meeting to discuss ways of
reaching a mutual agreement or arrangement.
A negotiation is a voluntary process in which
each person or group (often called a party) has
a position that is not xed, but that does have
its limits. A successful negotiation can create a
sense of ownership and commitment to shared
solutions and shared follow-up actions. This
sense of ownership and commitment makes
negotiated solutions often more desirable, for
example, than legal solutions, where one party
may feel it lost out. In a conict, some things
cannot be negotiated, and some things can.
Usually it turns out that many more things can
be negotiated than people rst thought. This is
another reason why negotiated agreements are
a valuable way, though not the only way, of
trying to manage conicts in forest landscape
restoration. It follows that a rst step in negotiation is reaching agreement on what is negotiable. Successful negotiations follow certain
important principles (see Box 18.2) and require
131
Box 18.2. Some Principles and Skills Involved in Negotiating Forest Landscape
Restoration (See also Figure 18.2)
Be clear on what everyone means by the
issue and the problems, opportunities, and
people/agencies involved
Adopt a positive attitude, for example, being
clear that conicts are not just problems
but also opportunities
Have in mind some kind of a route map,
some idea about ways in which key stakeholders wish to proceed
Address role, responsibility, and legitimacy
issues, including the limitations (boundaries) to your negotiating authority
Build and maintain effective rapport and
relationships
Active listening
Identify high-quality, relevant questions
Embrace
multiple
perspectives
and
perceptions
Build on what is already there (including cultural aspects of conict management and
problem solving)
Consider process (law, custom, institutional)
as well as structural conicts and conicts
of interest
Keep in mind options for withdrawing or not
getting involved further
Keep an eye on capacity building for
self-development and organisational
development
Separate and focus on the problem and not
the personalities
Separate and focus on underlying needs and
motivations, not initial positions
Know what you would do if the negotiations
did not work, perhaps because the other
party broke the ground rules or tried to
use unacceptable force (this is also called
knowing your BATNA: best alternative to
a negotiated agreement; see Box 18.1)
Seek, explore, and emphasise common
ground
Put your case in terms of their needs, not just
why you want something
The more you know about the others

position, the better able you are to nd
consensus-based solutions; do some
homework to nd out their situation
Maintain a creative, positive approach
Use paraphrasing and other communication
skills to understand and describe the
others points
Create a positive environment for the
negotiation (think about the physical setting, the comfort and acceptability of the
place, the time, and the way you manage
yourself)
Look for an early, small successes (reach
agreement on something early, even if
that is just the venue, then emphasise that
agreement; common groundstart small)
Make sure your preparations are as complete and accurate as possible. Write down
what you have done to prepare. Check
with a colleague. Check with another colleague. Seek constructive feedback.
Keep in mind:
1. The process and conict management
style
2. Your goals and boundaries (your limit or
bottom line)
3. Opportunities to address power inequalities
4. Your colleagues needs, expectations, and
ability to act as resources
5. Your personal values and principles
6. Time and space for reframing issues
7. Capacity building needs that may emerge
8. The needs for more analysis that may
emerge
Multiple perspectives and perceptions can
be useful. A diversity of opinion helps us
shed light on the issue from different directions. Treat difference and diversity not as an
emotional trigger to ght against, but as a
moment of opportunity to engage with.
132
knowledge, skills, and a positive attitude. It is

helpful to look at each of these things in relation to three phases in negotiations:
Preparationwhat we need to do before the
negotiation
Negotiation itselfcould take place in one
meeting or over several meetings
Follow-upwhat we need to do after the negotiation is over and agreement has been reached
A negotiation can happen at any time.
Entering a community or a government ofcials ofce may require a negotiation.The gatekeeper may want to know some details before
people just walk in, including when a group or
agency will arrive, how long it will stay, under
whose authority, with what level of formality,
and to do what.
Having agreed to who are the stakeholders
who need to be involved, a process of negotiations in forest landscape restoration will probably look something like this:
1. Each group works to understand the
other groups initial positions relating to the
landscape.
2. Each group then asks high-quality questions and uses listening skills to try to understand underlying needs, fears, and motivations
in identifying restoration interventions.
3. The parties try to deploy creative thinking
and other skills to generate a wide range of
options that could address these needs, fears,
and motivations.
4. This range of options is prioritised and
brought together in ways that allow everyone
to gain as much as possible.
5. An agreement is sought, to which everyone can commit.
6. That agreement is tested against the real
world to make sure it is achievable.
7. The parties agree on the next steps, on
how to manage the restoration interventions
and the resources that are needed, and on
ways of monitoring the agreements and commitments they have made.
3.2. Analytical Tools

A large number of analytical tools and skills
that are used in participatory forest manage-
ment, project management, and development

can be brought to bear in conict management.
Examples include participatory appraisal,170
a variety of approaches for measuring and
analysing sustainability,171 and more general
tools that help to frame and guide further
analysis, such as STEEP, SWOT, problem trees,
and forceeld analyses.172 The key is to use
those that are relevant for different stakeholders and that help to bring understanding and
wider perspectives on the issues. Key analytical
tools, though, include the following:
Stakeholder analysis173
Conict mapping and situation analysis174
Tools that address power relations, culture,
and gender175
A variety of analytical tools can feed into a
summary conict analysis. Conict analysis can
be done in the ofce (alone or in a group) or in
the eld (for example, in participatory exercises) or in combination. Successful analyses
are clear about who undertook the analysis,
when, and why, and make it clear how different
groups were involved in verifying and agreeing
to analysis summaries from different stakeholder perspectives. Of course, as events change
and time moves on, analyses need to be revisited. This is especially important when new
stakeholders enter the picture or established
stakeholders leave, and when critical events
change key stakeholders circumstances.
Analysis helps to identify the domain of conict (e.g., domestic, social, cultural, economic, or
political) and whether conict is nested within
several domains. Conict mapping with key
individuals or stakeholder groups, can help to
summarise information and show up major
differences and possible ways forward. One
example is given as a matrix (Fig. 18.3).
However, ow charts, Venn diagrams, and other
visually powerful mapping tools can help
170
Jackson and Ingles, 1998; www.fao.org/participation.

Bell and Morse, 2003; Dalal-Clayton and Bass, 2002.
172
Pretty et al, 1995.
173
DFID, 2002b, section 2; Ramirez, 1999; Richards et al,
2003.
174
DFID, 2002b, section 3; Fisher et al, 2000; Wehr, 1998.
175
Fisher et al, 2000.
171
Name of person or party

Position or stance in relation to the conflict
Needs
Concerns, anxieties, or fears
Attitudes toward the others
Assumptions about the others
Values and beliefs
Historical issues (e.g., past misunderstandings)
Types of power (e.g., moral, financial, political)
133
Figure 18.3. Matrix to help analyse conict.
communicate the outcomes from an analysis. It

is important to remember, though, that the
process of analysis itself is a part of managing
conict. Done well, the process itself can help
foster trust and mutual understanding. An early
agreement on the individual and collective
concerns and opportunities can help establish
the stage for positive negotiation of emerging
issues.
capacity building.176 Capacity building actions

also need to be linked with reection, so that
interventions can be monitored and evaluated
on an ongoing basis. This process, too, helps to
build condence and trust, when people appreciate the fact that someone somewhere is taking
responsibility for empowering key stakeholders
to participate effectively.
3.4. Effective Communications

3.3. Capacity Building
Undertaking a process of analysis often requires capacity building. Some stakeholders
will be familiar with negotiating from a business
perspective. Others will see negotiations as
embedded within their own culture and
societythe way they negotiate and problem
solve will be different. Others may use legal
frameworks or a scientic approach to analysis.
Again, addressing the process of analysis is
itself a part of the overall approach to managing conict. Capacity building skills and tools
may need to be deployed at an early stage.
Identifying and responding to gaps in conict
management skills or to gaps in resources
requires a sophisticated approach to capacity
building backed up by appropriate levels of
resourcing (e.g., for training and stakeholder
support). Building capacity is best seen as an
ongoing activity rather than a linear one. Highquality capacity building forms part of addressing inequalities in power relations. Strengths
and needs analysis and some form of training
needs analysis are important rst steps in
Building and maintaining effective communications are key aspects of conict management
and multi-stakeholder partnerships in forest
landscape restoration. Providing, managing,
using, and facilitating access to information is
part of any communication strategy.177 What is
additionally important in conict management
is ensuring that these things translate into
meaningful understanding. Indeed, effective
communications are vital to generating and disseminating the high levels of understanding of
different stakeholders perspectives and needs
that good conict management requires. Some
aspects of effective communications relate to
general communications strategies: the frameworks and mechanisms for enabling stakeholders to engage with one another on relevant
matters. This includes documents, meetings, the
use of different media, and an overall information, communication, and monitoring management system, such as a logical framework or
176
177
Bartram and Gibson, 1997.

Dalal-Clayton and Bass, 2002, Ch. 8.
134
Box 18.3. Barriers to Good Listening

On-off listeningdrifting off into personal affairs while someone is talking
Switch off listeningwords that irritate us
so that we stop listening
Open earsclosed mind listeningwe
decide the speaker is boring and think that
we can predict what he or she will say, so
we stop listening
Glassy eyed listening
Too deep for me listeningwhen ideas are
complex or complicated there is a danger
we will switch off
Matter over mind listeningwhen a
speaker says something that clashes with
what we think and believe strongly, we
may stop listening
Being subject-centred instead of speakercentreddetails and facts about an inci-
dent become more important than what

people are saying themselves
Fact listeningwe try to remember facts
but the speaker has gone on to new facts
and we become lost
Pencil listeningtrying to put down on
paper everything the speaker says usually
means we are bound to lose some of it and
eye contact is also lost
Hubbub listeningthere are many distractions that we listen to instead
Ive got something to contribute listeningsomething the speaker says triggers
something in our own mind and we are so
eager to contribute that we stop listening
An awareness of the above barriers to listening can be a rst step in avoiding them.
Adapted from training materials, Centre for International Development and Training, University of Wolverhampton, UK.
action plan. Other aspects relate more to interpersonal communications, such as getting the
balance right between telling and asking, or
become a good listener (Box 18.3).
In dealing with conict, one important distinction is between telling and asking. Giving
free information is an important part of
building communications. However, if one is
usually telling people, this can be perceived
as aggressive and dominating (e.g., Im going
to tell you what the law saysand that is the
end of the story). Asking relevant questions in
an involving, open way can communicate a
sense of concern and interest, that someone has
bothered to identify questions that may help
mutual understanding. Of course, a balance
between the two is needed.
3.5. Creative Thinking

People and agencies tend to think and react in
the ways that they always have done. The way
we think is constrained by many things, including our experience, worldview, education, and
degree of comfort with new ideas. Creative
thinking is about breaking these patterns to

look at situations in new waysthinking
outside the box. Creative thinking is an
important asset to conict management at all
stages, not just analysis. Often, a breakthrough
can come when creative thinking allows the situation to be reframedchanging the way we
construct and represent the conict.178 Reaching agreement requires strong skills in synthesisthinking creatively about how to develop
an agreement and monitoring process that
everyone can live with can be challenging. A
number of tools exist that can help enhance
peoples creative thinking skills. One-on-one
and in small groups, good facilitators and trainers can help to build creative thinking skills.
Where things get trickier is moving through
organisations management and decisionmaking structures to translate the creative,
useful thoughts into actions that are helpful.
Creative thinking is culturally embedded.
Indeed, culture plays a major part in resisting
178
Lewicki et al, 2003.
and improving creative thinking skills, in organisations as well as other groups.179
4. Future Needs
Most conservation organisations, forestry
departments, and companies have only very
limited knowledge about conict resolution.
Capacity building for conict management and
negotiation within conservation and forestry
organisations is a critical need in terms of building the ability to work across broad scales and
mainstream conservation. Most of the tools and
expertise are known but have been applied
in only a very limited way within the eld of
natural resource management.
References
Bartram, S., and Gibson, B. 1997. Training Needs
Analysis. Gower Publishing, London.
Bell, S., and Morse, S. 2003. Measuring Sustainability.
Earthscan, London.
Dalal-Clayton, B., and Bass, S. 2002. Sustainable
Development Strategies. OECD, Earthscan and
UNDP. Earthscan Publications, London.
Department for International Development
(DFID). 2002a. Conducting conict assessments:
guidance notes, DFID. Government of the United
Kingdom, http://www.dd.gov.uk/pubs/les/conic
tassessmentguidance.pdf.
(DFID). 2002b. Tools for development. DFID,
Government of the United Kingdom. http://www.
dd.gov.uk/pubs/les/toolsfordevelopment.pdf.
179
Hofstede, 1994.
135
FAO, 2002.
Fisher, S., et al. 2000. Working with Conict. Zed
Books, London.
Fisher, R., and Ertel, D. 1995. Getting Reading to
Negotiate, Penguin Books, London.
Hofstede, G. 1994. Cultures and Organisations:
Software of the MindThe Successful Strategist
Series. Harper Collins, London.
Jackson, W.J., and Ingles, A.W. 1998. Participatory
Techniques for Community Forestry. World Wide
Fund for Nature, IUCN-World Conservation
Union and Australian Agency for International
Development, Gland, Switzerland.
Jones, P.S. 1998. Conicts about Natural Resources.
Footsteps No. 36 (September). Tearfund, Teddington, London.
Lewicki, R.J., Gray, B., and Elliott, M. 2003. Making
Sense of Intractable Environmental Conicts:
Concepts and Cases. Island Press, Covelo and
Washington, DC.
Pretty, J.N., Gujit, I., Thompson, J., and Scoones,
I. 1995. Participatory Learning and Action: A
Trainers Guide. International Institute for Environment and Development, London.
Ramirez, R. 1999. Stakeholder analysis and conict
management. In: Buckles, D. ed. Cultivating
PeaceConict and Collaboration in Natural
Resources Management. World Bank, Washington, DC.
Richards, M., Davies, J., and Yaron, G. 2003. Stakeholder Incentives in Participatory Forest Management. ITDG Publishing, London.
Warner, M., and Jones, P.S. 1998. Conict resolution
in community based natural resources management. Overseas Development Institute Policy
Paper (No. 35), August.
Warner, M. 2001. Complex Problems, Negotiated
Solutions. ITDG Publishing, London.
Wehr, P. 1998. International on-line training programme
on intractable conict. http://www.colorado.edu/
conict/peace/problem/cemerge.htm.
19
Practical Interventions that Will
Support Restoration in Broad-Scale
Conservation Based on WWF
Experiences

Urgent conservation or livelihood problems
may necessitate short-term, strategic interventions even in the absence of a longerterm programme.
A series of 10 different tactical interventions
are suggested, ranging from threat removal
to positive economic incentives.
1. Background and
In the face of increased threat of massive
species extinction, with estimates that more
than half of the worlds threatened species live
on less than 1.4 percent of the earth,180 it may
be important to consider a range of practical
and tactical interventions to begin to reverse
this rapid degradation, particularly in highly
threatened areas that are extremely rich in biodiversity.
There are still surprisingly few examples of
successful forest restoration from a conservation perspective, particularly at a large scale.181
Elsewhere, we have discussed the importance
of carrying out restoration as a component of
180
181
Brooks et al, 2002.

TNC, 2002.
136
larger conservation and development programmes, but in some cases there may also be
opportunities to carry out useful restoration
more opportunistically. This chapter is intended
to highlight some tactical interventions that
could be undertaken if framed within a forest
landscape restoration process or approach.
Planning at a landscape or ecoregional scale
is difcult enough, but actually intervening at
that scale is generally harder still. In a forest
landscape restoration context, activities such as
planning, engagement, priority setting, negotiation, trade-offs, modelling, etc. are usually all
best carried out at a landscape scale. However,
with the exception of some policy interventions,
most of the practical restoration actions will
take place at sites within the landscape or
ecoregion. Although planning processes are
often lengthy, some actions can often start in
anticipation of the overall long-term strategy
to restore forest landscapes; generally some
responses will be clear and uncontroversial and
these can often be initiated even whilst more
difcult issues remain unresolved.
This chapter discusses the types of specic
and punctual interventions related to restoration that a eld programme may consider
undertaking. Some of these would be expected
to arise within a longer term strategy to restore
ecological and social forest functions but may
also come in advance of such a strategy due to
lack of funds for the overall process, lack of
buy-in from stakeholders, and other issues
relating to expediency or urgency. When a
species is facing immediate threats of extinc-
19. Practical Interventions that Will Support Restoration
tion, for instance, short-term measures may be

needed even while long-term planning is still in
process. None of the proposed interventions
below replace larger scale efforts, nor are they
meant to be implemented in isolation from a
broad-scale planning process. Rather, they are
to be seen as elements of the larger process and
as possible entry points; success at a small scale
is one of the most effective ways of gaining
support for larger-scale programmes.
When selecting one of the proposed entry
points listed below (see Outline of Tools), it is
important to think of the desired impact of this
tactical intervention:
Is it to inuence a specic group of stakeholders? Which one and what is the desired
effect?
Is it to understand better the dynamics (biological or social) in the landscape?
Is it to change sociopolitical conditions in
the landscape before engaging in restoration
within the landscape? Which conditions?
And what is the most cost-effective way to
change them?
What are the resources (human and nancial) and time involved? Can we afford
them?
What are the priority issues that need
addressing soonest?
2. Examples
2.1. Research into Different
Restoration Methods in
Malaysia
Some palm oil companies along the Kinabatangan River in Sabah, Borneo, have agreed
to set aside land for restoration. Initial trials
showed limited success. Starting in 2004, in an
effort to identify the most successful techniques
for restoration, tests began using different
methods on a small plot of land. These are the
methods proposed (during a eld visit by the
author):
Natural regeneration with no intervention
(including a smaller study area fenced
against browsing animals)
137
Assisted natural regeneration (mainly some

land preparation and weeding around regenerating species)
Planting with native species (using species
adapted to local conditions and including if
possible both commercially valuable dipterocarp trees and fruit trees)
Planting an exotic species as a nurse crop to
foster natural regeneration
Each approach is to be monitored on a
regular basis in order to determine which one
yields the highest survival rates. The long-term
aim of this research is to disseminate the most
suitable restoration methods in all the areas set
aside for restoration along this important biodiversity corridor.
2.2. Changing the Forest Policy in

Bulgaria Thanks to a CostBenet Analysis182
Bulgarias 75 islands on the Danube river are
rich in biodiversity, and are an important
stopover site for migratory birds. Yet, over the
last 40 years, the government has systematically
converted natural oodplain forest to hybrid
poplar plantations to supply the local timber
industry. Until the year 2000, the government
had plans to continue conversion of this
ecosystem, leaving only 7 percent of the original forest. Thanks to a comprehensive costbenet analysis, sponsored by the World Bank
and WWF, it was shown that nancial losses
from suspending timber production on certain
islands could be offset by intensifying production in areas already converted to poplar
plantations. Additional benets that were highlighted by the analysis included the potential
use of original forest for recreational purposes,
improved shing (by creating more spawning
grounds), the harvest of nontimber forest products, and possible ecotourism development. In
2001 the government, therefore, changed its
policy, adopting one that called for the immediate halt of all logging and conversion of
oodplain forests to poplar plantations on the
Danube islands, restoration of native species
182
Ecott, 2002.
138
S. Mansourian
in selected sites, as well as strengthening of

the protected areas network on the islands.
Although a longer term forest landscape
restoration programme for the Danube is
underway, this tactical intervention helped to
maintain a unique habitat that might well have
disappeared before the more detailed programme was implemented.
3. Outline of Tools
3.1. Focussing on Removing or
Reducing the Identied Threats
Sometimes it will be sufcient to remove,
reduce, or mitigate a particular threat or pressure on forests in a landscape to set them on
a positive path toward regeneration. Because
threats often originate from political or economic decisions, changing them may require
signicant lobbying, backed up by negotiations,
research, and building of strategic partnerships.
If these threats can be reduced or removed,
natural regeneration can often be signicant (if
there are no other biophysical constraining
factors).
Examples of threats that are common as
an impediment to natural forest regeneration
include the following:
Alien invasive species (e.g., electric ants,
Wasmannia auropunctata, in New Caledonia)
Government incentives that foster forest
conversion (e.g., Chiles subsidies for
plantations)
Infrastructure projects (e.g., the construction
of the Ho Chi Minh highway in Vietnam)
Demand for cash crops (e.g., valuable soya
expansion in Paraguay causing forest
conversion)
Unsustainable agricultural practices (e.g.,
Slash and burn agriculture in Madagascar)
Illegal logging (e.g., in Indonesia)
Uncontrolled and unnatural res (e.g., in
India)
Concentrating rst on removal of threats is
appropriate when it is clear that addressing the
identied threat can lead to natural regeneration or restoration with only limited interven-
tions. This is also a necessary choice in cases

when a eld project cannot start until the threat
has been addressed.
Depending on the social and economic
context, some threats may be much easier to
address than others. For instance, illegal logging
is in itself a very complex issue, which may well
be beyond the remit of a restoration project.
However, knowledge of key areas affected can
help determine where (or even whether) and
how to establish a restoration programme. It is
important to recognise threats that cannot be
addressed, or resources may be pumped into a
hopeless situation.
3.2. Changing Government Policies

Often, a change in government policy may
provide the right conditions to promote
restoration (also see Policy Interventions for
Forest Landscape Restoration). In some cases
it may be necessary to lobby for more supportive policies, while in others, it may be
necessary to remove destructive ones. The
European Unions (EUs) Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) has for instance invested
signicantly in afforestation with limited social
and ecological results (see case study The
European Unions afforestation Policies and
their Real Impact on Forest Restoration).
WWF and other local partners are trying to
address this in many EU countries (particularly
in southern Europe) by demonstrating alternative, more socially and environmentally appropriate forms of restoration that could be
nanced by the same CAP subsidies. It will be
important and relevant to focus efforts on government policies when these have been identied as a key factor in causing the loss and
degradation of forests (e.g., perverse incentives) or when there is a clear opportunity to
engage the government in supportive policies
(e.g., a new forest plan being developed). In
some countries, like Vietnam or China, there
are huge government programmes promoting
investments in reforestation/afforestation.
Because of the scale of these programmes, it is
often wiser (and economically more efcient)
to engage in these processes than to invest
efforts in a separate project.
3.3. Using Advocacy Levers

Some advocacy, lobbying, and economic tools
can be used to encourage change that supports
forest restoration or that removes or reduces
the pressure on forests.
Market pressure: The market may be used
to promote the use of products from wellmanaged forests or forests that are being
restored. For example, WWF has worked on
the palm oil markets in Switzerland to
promote better practices in Malaysia where
the oil palm plantations have signicantly
damaged natural forest cover and where
restoration of natural forest is now having to
take place. This signies engaging in research
on market routes and raising awareness at
the consumer end, as well as promoting solutions for better practices at the production
end.
Pressure using multilateral donors: Multilateral donors may be used as a lever for change
either through their own projects or through
imposing conditionality on loans. For
example, agencies such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have active projects
related to forest policy, but they also nance
plantation projects. In Vietnam, for instance,
the ADB is one of the main donors to the
governments Five Million Hectares Reforestation Programme. Working together with
such institutions may be a way of improving
practices within their projects and also
encouraging change in those projects that
they nance.
Communications/media tools such as Gifts to
the Earth: WWF developed the Gifts to the
Earth tool, a public relations mechanism, to
pay tribute to major acts that favour the environment. This is one of many creative tools
that may be used as an incentive for a government or other decision maker to change
current policies or adopt new ones that
would be more benecial to or supportive of
restoration.
Campaigning: mobilising many stakeholders
to put pressure on the relevant decision
makers (governments, multilateral agencies,
the private sector) is an effective means of
139
ensuring change. It does need to be used

carefully, however, and must be founded on
good data.
3.4. Changing Companies Practices

Traditionally, conservation organisations have
not worked much with the private sector. Yet
given that the largest companies are larger
nancial players than most governments and
that they often determine future land-use
options (e.g., mining companies, plantation
companies, infrastructure companies), it is
important to work with them in any largescale restoration effort in order to ensure that
restoration is well integrated in their plans.
This is, for instance, an effective way of
encouraging companies to adopt best (or at
least better) practices. Many companies are
happy to work with civil society organisations
especially if improvement in their standards
means some form of certication, media opportunities, and even in some cases the additional
bonus of more efcient (cheaper) production.
The sorts of sectors that may be inuential
include the infrastructure sector, the mining
sector, and the forestry sector.WWF is currently
engaging with large plantation companies such
as Stora Enso to not only promote better management of their estates but also assist them to
restore areas of the land that they manage.
3.5. Valuing Forests

Governments sometimes neglect or mismanage
forests because the goods and services that they
produce have not been properly valued. By
obtaining recognition of the value of forests
from either the government (if it is the major
cause of concern) or local communities, restoration of those values can be promoted.
This can be done a number of ways:
Through a traditional cost-benet analysis that
would provide a good argument for restoration for governments (see the Bulgaria
example, above)
Through research and surveys with local
communities, particularly elders, to identify
what values have been lost and what values
140
S. Mansourian
they would like to see restored. For example,

in Vietnam WWF has engaged with communities and the provincial government in the
central Annamites to identify the forest
values that have been lost as a starting point
for setting future restoration objectives.
While recognising the value of forests is one
important step, it is but the rst step. Governments and other decision makers then need
to take necessary measures to ensure that
those values are protected and where relevant
restored.183
3.6. Specic Research

Often a large-scale programme to restore a
range of forest functions cannot start until
a number of specications of the landscape
are better understood. Initial research can be
carried out with limited funds as a way to start
a larger-scale programme.
This research may be related to any of the
following, for example:
Restoration techniques: While a number of
restoration techniques have been tried and
tested, it is not always easy to know which
one will work best under local conditions. A
small-scale trial plot can help identify those
(see example on Borneo, above).
Species mix: Often exotic species have been
used because they are better understood
than local ones. Research money may be well
spent on identifying the growth rate of and
necessary conditions for specic local species
as well as on the optimal mix of species.
Removal of invasive species: Invasive species
can often be the single most important
impediment to natural regeneration or
maintenance of forest quality within existing
forests. Applied research can help test different techniques to remove the invasive species
while promoting indigenous ones.
Communities and stakeholders: Socioeconomic research may be necessary to understand better the proles of stakeholders in
the landscape and their motivations, pressures, livelihood conditions, and aspirations.
183
Sheng, 1993.
Market research: Market research may be

helpful when seeking to promote alternative
income generating activities.
Upstream versus downstream: In a landscape
context, it may be important to identify
the types of activities upstream and their
impact downstream. For example, deforestation upstream may be causing sedimentation
problems downstream. To encourage restoration within the landscape context, such cause
and effect will need to be clearly demonstrated to stakeholders and substantiated by
suitable research.
The above represent but a few of the numerous research topics. There are many others that
are specic to different conditions.
3.7. Awareness Raising

If there is no identied need from the local
population for restoration, then attempts at
restoration are likely to fail. It is important to
ensure that relevant stakeholders understand
the linkages between restoration and the things
that matter to them (availability of useful
plants, soil protection, provision of forest products, etc.), and this may necessitate an
awareness-raising campaign. For example, in
New Caledonia, WWF is one of nine partners
engaging in the protection and restoration of
the dry forest.The project has a number of components, including active engagement of stakeholders (particularly land owners), and it has
spent considerable time and resources working
with local landowners to mobilise their support
for restoration and to help them understand the
implications of restoring the dry forest (benets and costs).
There are a number of different forms of
publicity (different media, workshops) and part
of the skill in successful advocacy is in identifying the one that will reach the target audience
(e.g., radio is often a good way of reaching rural
populations in poorer countries).
3.8. Training and Capacity Building

One tactical intervention may consist of offering training in relevant restoration techniques.
For instance in Morocco, WWF has been
invited to help redesign the universitys forestry

curriculum to include specic restoration
elements.
The sorts of training that can be provided
Nursery design and development: Training
can be provided to farmers and other community members on managing tree nurseries.
This may also include elements of seed
recognition and collection.
Agroforestry techniques: When agricultural
practices are an issue, training farmers in
techniques such as agroforestry that are
more compatible with some form of natural
forest cover can be a useful approach within
a forest landscape restoration initiative.
Training can be provided in alternative
income-generating activities (see below) to
reduce the impact people are having on
forests while offering them a realistic livelihood alternative.
Improved grazing practices may sometimes
be a simple way of returning areas of land to
natural forest.
In relevant cases, training may involve better
re management practices (to remove re
risks, to control them, or to undertake prescribed burns).
3.9. Forest-Friendly Economic

Activities (Microenterprise
Development)
In many countries the pressure on forests,
the conversion of forests, or the hindering of
natural regeneration is driven by the poorest
people, who rely on forests for their immediate
needs but are under too much short-term pressure to invest in long-term restoration strategies. One way of addressing this may be by
providing training in improved practices that
will help both sustain their own resource base
and reduce forest degradation, or, on the other
hand, by offering new economic activities that
reduce their detrimental impact on forests. For
a conservation organisation, this will generally
require partnering with development organisations with expertise in, for example, microenterprise development.
141
For example, in Madagascar, the main threat

to forests is slash-and-burn agriculture with
short fallow periods. In a country with such high
poverty levels, the only way to reduce this pressure on forests is to provide alternative livelihood options for those local communities. A
number of successful microenterprise development programmes have been attempted by
entities such as USAID (US Agency for
International Development),184 the U.N., and
CARE. These programmes may not have been
explicitly intended to reduce pressure on
forests, but in partnering with conservation
organisations two objectives could be reached:
improving livelihoods while ensuring that
forests are protected and, where appropriate,
restored. When promoting such alternative
livelihood options, it is important to undertake
suitable feasibility and market studies, and not
engage people, for instance, in honey production if there is no market for it.
3.10. Paying Communities for

Better Practices
It may sometimes be necessary or appropriate
to use project money to compensate communities for the loss they suffer by accepting restoration on land they own or use. This could be a
rst activity before developing alternative
livelihood options. It can also be a way of
engaging communities that may not otherwise
be very receptive to the project. One risk with
this approach is that of getting communities
accustomed to compensation and expecting it
over the long term. This clearly needs to be a
short-term activity with a clear plan to move
into other activities.
4. Future Needs
In an ideal world, a comprehensive restoration
programme would be well thought out, would
address a range of stakeholders priorities,
would be implemented at various scales
(national, local, regional), and would be given
the necessary resources and time to succeed.
184
ARD-RAISE Consortium, 2002.
142
S. Mansourian
Unfortunately, this is often not the case, and

therefore punctual interventions like those
listed above may become necessary rst
actions. All of the actions listed above would
benet from being integrated into large programmes that aim to restore forest functions
within landscapes for the benet of people and
biodiversity. One future need, therefore, is for
decision makers and donors to allocate sufcient resources to allow for the implementation
of the large-scale programmes that are required
to achieve the restoration of forest functions in
many regions of the world. Another need is
for more creative partnerships between public,
private, and civil society organisations, as
well as between development and conservation
organisations to achieve the ambitious aims of
restoring forest functions in landscapes.
References
ARD-RAISE Consortium. 2002. Agribusiness and
forest industry assessment. Report submitted to
USAIDMadagascar, November 18.
Brooks, T.M., Mittermeier, R.A., Mittermeier, C.G.,
et al. 2002. Habitat loss and extinction in the
hotspots of biodiversity. Conservation Biology 16
(4):909923.
Ecott, T. 2002. Forest Landscape Restoration:

Working Examples from Five Ecoregions. WWF,
Gland, Switzerland.
Sheng, F. 1993. Integrating Economic Development
with Conservation. WWF International, Gland,
Switzerland.
The Nature Conservancy (TNC). 2002. Geography of
Hope Update: When and Where to Consider
Restoration. The Nature Conservancy, Arlington,
Virginia.
Additional Reading
Lamb, D., and Gilmour, D. 2003. Rehabilitation
and Restoration of Degraded Forests. IUCN and
WWF, Gland, Switzerland.
Mansourian, S., Davison, G., and Sayer, J. 2002.
Bringing back the forests: by whom and for
whom? In: Sim, H.C., Appanah, S., and Durst, P.B.,
eds. Bringing Back the Forests: Policies and Practices for Degraded Lands and Forests. Proceedings
of an International Conference, 710 October
2002. FAO, Thailand, 2003.
Ormerod, S.J. 2003. Restoration in applied ecology:
editors introduction. Journal of Applied Ecology
40:4450.
Sayer, J., Elliott, C., and Maginnis, S. 2003. Protect,
manage and restore: conserving forests in multifunctional landscapes. Paper prepared for the
World Forestry Congress, Quebec, Canada.
Section VII
20
Monitoring Forest Restoration
Projects in the Context of an Adaptive
Management Cycle
Sheila OConnor, Nick Salafsky, and Daniel W. Salzer

Monitoring is a process of periodically collecting and using data to inform management decisions.
Monitoring is best done not as a separate
activity at the end of a project, but as an integral part of an adaptive management cycle.
A complete monitoring plan outlines information needs, species the least number of
indicators to meet these needs, the methods
for collecting the indicator data and who is
responsible, and when the data are collected.
The amount of resources spent on monitoring should vary inversely to the degree of certainty that project activities will be effective.
There are tools and guidance available for
doing monitoring in the context of adaptive
management, but not enough has been done
specically for long-term multiparty forest
restoration projects.
1. Background and
Monitoring is the process of periodically collecting and using data to inform management
decisions. Monitoring is important for projects
of all sizes and for all areas of conservation,
including forest restoration, to demonstrate
impact and to help improve project effectiveness. Monitoring becomes particularly vital
when projects become complex and include
many different types of goals and a variety of
stakeholders, as is often the case with forest
restoration projects.185
Although there are many different
approaches for monitoring conservation projects, over the last decade there has been an
increasing convergence on doing monitoring
in the context of an adaptive management
approach.186 The key to this approach is that
monitoring cannot be tacked on at the end of a
project.187 Instead, it must be integrated into the
overall project cycle188 (Fig. 20.1).
The rst step in any type of restoration
project is to carefully dene the site and issues,
and to identify what elements of biodiversity
and other values that you want to focus on. This
should be followed by a thorough situation
analysis that establishes the causal chains that
link your restoration targets (features) to the
threats (pressures) and root causes that affect
these targets. The third step is to identify where
along these causal chains you think you can
intervene with your actions (responses) and to
develop specic objectives for how you need to
change the system to improve the chances of
success. Once you have done this basic work, it
should now be readily apparent as to what key
185
Ecological Restoration Institute and USDA-CFRP,

2004.
186
Stem et al, 2005.
187
Ralph and Poole, 2002.
188
CMP, 2004; Salafsky and Margoluis, 1998; TNC, 2000.
145
146
S. OConnor et al
WWF Programme Management Cycle

- START -
Conceptualise
Plan
Iterate
Share
Actions
Monitoring
Sustainability
Implement
Actions
Monitoring
Sustainability
restoration techniques that have a proven

record of success, then you would likely invest
most of your resources in taking action and
only limited amounts on monitoring the results.
And if there are restoration needs, but you are
unsure how to effectively address them, you
may have to experiment with different actions
and spend relatively more resources to monitor
and analyse the results. In general, the percentage of project resources spent on monitoring
should vary inversely with your degree of certainty that your activities will be effective.
2. Examples
Use/Adapt
Analyse
Figure 20.1. A project/programme management

cycle adapted for WWF use. (Adapted from the Conservation Measures Partnership (CMP), 2004.)
indicators you need to track in order to determine how the targets are doing and whether
your restoration actions are having their
intended results. A complete monitoring plan
clearly outlines your information needs, species the least number of indicators needed to
meet these needs, details methods for collecting
the indicator data, and describes who has this
responsibility and when these data are collected. In addition, the monitoring plan identies what analysis is undertaken by whom, and
to whom information is circulated and when.189
The amount of project resources that you
invest in monitoring should generally vary
depending on the situation you are facing.190
If you are in the rare situation where you
are highly condent that forest conditions will
restore themselves passively, then you would
likely spend only a limited amount of resources
on monitoring the situation and making sure
that no new threats emerge. If the restoration
effort warrants the use of straightforward
189
Earl et al, 2001; Hartanto et al, 2002; Margoluis and

Salafsky, 1998.
190
Earl et al, 2001; Hartanto et al, 2002; Margoluis and
Salafsky, 1998.
We present a case study showing how monitoring and adaptive management were used to
improve forest restoration efforts and a ctitious case study illustrating some of the traps
that monitoring efforts commonly fall into.
2.1. Case 1: Using Monitoring to

Improve the Effectiveness of
Restoration Actions in an
Adaptive Management Cycle191
Problem: Deciding which strategies and activities to undertake in a major restoration effort
of Longleaf Pine Ecosystems in the southeastern U.S., and how to monitor the effectiveness
of these actions so that effective adaptive management can take place.
Solution: The goal of the project was to identify which management techniques most effectively reduced hardwood density and moved
the ecosystem toward predetermined values
found in natural high-quality sand hills. The
project established a reference condition (or
a set of targets related to the biodiversity
valuesthese included composition, structure,
and function). They also determined a set of
metrics that would possibly be useful as indicators of both management success (effective
actions) and the state of the sand hill ecosystem. To help determine the strategic management actions, a conceptual model was
developed that looked at both the degradation
191
Provencher et al, 2001.
20. Monitoring Forest Restoration Projects
of the sand hill ecosystem as well as its restoration. Through the experimental implementation of actions, they monitored the impact of
the actions themselves (did it meet the assumptions made in the conceptual model?) as well as
looked at the overarching improvement to the
values dened for the ecosystem. This allowed
for a complete and iterative process to achieve
the objective of the project as well as make
progress toward the long-term goal, which was
restoring a functional diverse sand hill system
and restoring a habitat for the endangered
red-cockaded woodpecker and other long leaf
pineassociated species of special concern.
2.2. Case 2: Common Mistakes

in Monitoring192
Problem: Deciding what to monitor as part of
the implementation of a large forest restoration
project.
Solution: For the rst 2 years of the project,
the team does no monitoring whatsoever;
it states that it is so busy taking important
restoration actions that it has no money or staff
resources to devote to monitoring.
The project team members rst begin to consider monitoring at the start of the third year
because they realise that they need to report
on their results to their nancial donors. The
project managers convene a meeting in which
they consider the indicators that they will
assess. One biologist on the team, who studied
deer for her graduate dissertation, recommends
doing an intensive and expensive long-term
study of the forest deer population. Another
researcher discusses the need to start setting up
forest plots and belt transects in various types
of the forest to assess plant species abundance.
A third team member goes on the Internet and
pulls down a long list of indicators collected
by other forest projects including identifying
animal and plant species, surveying bird populations, tagging trees, counting hunting parties,
sampling water quality, and tracking resource
extraction permit applications, and recommends that the project team members consider
which of these they should use. Overwhelmed

and frustrated, the project manager is about to
give up on monitoring altogether.
Finally, the team decides to put its monitoring work in the context of an adaptive management approach. The team takes the time to
develop a conceptual model of its situation and
realises that the major assumption behind its
work is that working with local communities to
reduce hunting pressure on key seed dispersers
will lead to enhanced forest regeneration. To
this end, the team members develop a series of
simple indicators to assess whether the community members are responding to their efforts
to reduce hunting and to measure whether
seedling regeneration is occurring. When they
implement this work, they realise that although
they are being successful with stopping the
hunting, the seedlings are not coming back as
expected, especially in large gaps. This forces
the team members to focus in more detail on
studying why seedlings are not coming back in
the gaps and leads to changing their focus to
actively planting seeds in large gap areas.
3. Outline of Tools
Different conservation groups have developed
more or less similar project management
systems for helping practitioners to design,
manage, and monitor their conservation work.
An overview of some of these systems can be
found in the Rosetta Stone of Conservation
Practice that has been developed by the
Conservation Measures Partnership (CMP).193
Likewise, the Partnerships Open Standards
for the Practice of Conservation provides a
generic listing of the steps in this process.194
One specic system that can be useful to
practitioners is the Nature Conservancys
(TNC) Enhanced 5-S Project Management
Process,195 which can help identify the integrity
of biodiversity targets (critical in forest restoration work), as well as help evaluate and prioritise critical threats and other factors from the
193
194
192
Adapted from Salzer and Salafsky, in press.
147
195
Conservation Measures Partnership (CMP), 2004a.

CMP, 2004b.
The Nature Conservancy (TNC), 2004.
148
S. OConnor et al
situation analysis, develop objectives, and identify critical indicators. This system is based on
an Excel workbook tool that walks practitioners through the steps in the process. A simpler
version of this process can be found in Measures of Success,196 which uses visual conceptual
models to help show the causal chains linking
key factors in your situation analysis as a basis
for setting objectives and selecting indicators.
In addition, many government agencies that
work on forest management and restoration
also have guidance and tools available to help
in the design of monitoring plans and the selection of specic indicators and methods (for
example, in the United States there is extensive
literature on the subject from the Ecological
Restoration Institute or USDAs Collaborative
Forest Restoration Programme). One example of
this type of effort is offered by the Forest Biodiversity Indicators Project.197 They have developed an online Forest Biodiversity Indicators
Selection Web Tool (www.manometmaine.org/
indicators/) that provides for rapid searching
and comparison of different forest biodiversity
monitoring indicators. Indicator search criteria
include spatial scale, forest type, forest
organisational level, indicator type, category of
information need, regional context, and ecological values measured by the indicator. Indicators are rated based on their practicality,
relevance, utility, scientic merit, and ecological
breadth.
4. Future Needs
To date, most of the adaptive management
based monitoring approaches being developed
by conservation organisations have not been
rigorously tested with forest restoration projects. In addition, almost all forest restoration
work involves multiparties, yet there is still no
volume of best practices on how to design,
implement, and learn from multiple stakeholder monitoring work. Some early examples
are cited elsewhere.198
196
197
198
Margoluis and Salafsky, 1998.

Hagan and Whitman, 2004.
Ecological Restoration Institute/USDA CRFP, 2004.
Ideally, forest restoration practitioners could

come together and begin to agree on a common
way of designing, managing, and monitoring
such that it is inclusive yet functional. In particular, it would be useful to develop common
assumptions, indicators, and methods as well as
metrics of long-term success.
References
Conservation Measures Partnership (CMP).
2004a. Rosetta Stone of Conservation Practice.
www.conservationmeasures.org.
Conservation Measures Partnership (CMP). 2004b.
Open Standards for the Practice of Conservation.
www.conservationmeasures.org.
Earl, S., Carden, F., and Smutylo, T. 2001. Outcome
Mapping. IDRC, Ottawa, Canada.
Ecological Restoration Institute and the U.S.D.A.
Collaborative Forest Restoration Programme.
2004. Handbook FIVE. Monitoring Social and
Economic Effects of Forest Restoration. USDA,
Washington, DC, and Ecological Restoration
Institute, Flagstaff, Arizona.
Hagan, J.M., and Whitman, A.A. 2004. A primer
on selecting biodiversity indicators for forest
sustainability: simplifying complexity. Forest
Conservation Programme of Manomet Center for
Conservation Science. FMSN-2004-1. www.
manometmaine.org/indicators/.
Hartanto, H., Lorenzo, M.C.B., and Frio, A.L. 2002.
Collective action and learning in developing a
local monitoring system. International Forestry
Review 4(3): 184195.
Margoluis, R., and Salafsky, N. 1998. Measures of
Success: Designing, Managing and Monitoring
Conservation and Development Projects. Island
Press, Washington, DC.
Provencher, L., Litt, A.R., Galley, K.E.M., et al. 2001.
Restoration of re-suppressed long leaf pine
sandhills at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. Final
report to the Natural Resources Management
Division, Eglin Air Force Base, Niceville, Florida.
The Science Division, The Nature Conservancy,
Gainesville, Florida.
Ralph, S.C., and Poole, G.C. 2002. Putting monitoring rst: designing accountable ecosystem restoration and management plans. In: Montgomery,
D.R., Bolton, S., Booth, D.B., and Wall, L. eds.
Restoration of Puget Sound Rivers. UW Press,
Seattle, WA, pp. 222242.
Salzer, D., and Salafsky, N. (In press). Allocating
resources between taking action, assessing status,
20. Monitoring Forest Restoration Projects

and measuring effectiveness of conservation
actions. Natural Areas Journal.
Stem, C., Margoluis, R., Salafsky, N., and Brown, M.
2005. Monitoring and evaluation in conservation:
A review of trends and approaches. Conservation
Biology, 19(2): 115.
The Nature Conservancy (TNC). 2004. The
Enhanced 5-S Project Management Process.
Links to guidance and the Excel Workbook are
available at http://www.conserveonline.org/2004/
03/a/Enhanced_5S_Resources.
Additional Reading
Brown, R.J., Agee, J.K., and Franklin, J. 2004. Forest
restoration and re: principles in the context of
place. Conservation Biology 18(4): 903912.
Carey,A.B.,Thysell, D.R., and Brodie,A.W. 1999.The
forest ecosystem study: background, rationale,
implementation, baseline conditions and silvicul-
149
tural assessment. USDA General Technical

Report. PNW-6TR-451.
Groves, C. 2003. Drafting a Conservation Blueprint.
Island Press, Washington, DC.
Johnson, K.N., Holthausen, R., Shannon, M.A., and
Sedell, J., 1999. Case study. In: Johnson, K.N.,
Swanson, F., Herring, M., and Greene, S., eds.
Bioregional Assessments. Island Press, Covelo,
California. pp. 87116.
Kaufmann, J.B., Beschta, R.L., Otting, N., and Lytjen,
D. 1997. An ecological perspective of riparian and
stream restoration in the western United States.
Fisheries 22(5): 1224.
Lamb. D., Parotta, J., Keenan, R., and Tucker, N. 1997.
Rejoining habitat remnants: restoring degraded
rainforest lands. In: Laurance, W.F., and
Bierregaard, R.O., Jr., eds. Tropical Forest
Remnants. pp. 366385.
Simberloff, D.J., 1999. Regional and continental
restoration. In: Soul, M.E., and Terborgh, J.,
eds. Continental Conservation. Island Press,
Washington, DC, pp. 6598.
21
Monitoring and Evaluating Forest
Restoration Success
Daniel Vallauri, James Aronson, Nigel Dudley, and Ramon Vallejo

An effective monitoring and evaluation
system is recognised as an essential part of
a successful restoration project, allowing
measurement of progress and more importantly helping to identify corrective actions
and modications that will inevitably be
needed in such a long-term process.
We propose that in addition to measuring
obvious indicators such as area of forest,
such monitoring and evaluation systems will
usually need to cover issues relating to naturalness of the forest being created at a landscape scale (not necessarily at an individual
site), environmental benets, and livelihood
issues.
Some useful indicators are starting to
emerge, although much work is still needed
on monitoring and evaluation in broad-scale
restoration.
1. Background and
1.1. Why Evaluate and Monitor?
Worldwide, monitoring and evaluation have
become in the past decade a major issue199 with
199
Sheil et al, 2004.
150
strong repercussions in national forest policies

both for conservation (e.g., efciency of protected areas, status of endangered species) and
management (e.g., sustainability standards,
impact assessment, ecocertication, and market
driven demand). At various scales (from
local to international), issues like the design of
the best framework for evaluation and monitoring, the choice of an efcientbut not too
expensiveset of criteria and indicators, has
led to intense debates between major stakeholders in forest management, including nongovernmental organisations (NGOs).
Forest restoration, as dened in this book,
is a difcult, energy-consuming, and expensive
undertaking. It is almost always a long-term,
complex, and multidisciplinary process. On
the one hand, forest restoration requires recreating within a few years (usually less than
10 to 15 years) an embryo ecosystem that
will only be fully developed after several
decades. On the other hand, forest restoration
requires inputs and expertise from elds like
ecology, economics, public policy, and social sciences, further complicating monitoring and
assessment.
For a long time, some forest restoration
issues have been the subject of considerable
raised tensions and interest, especially, for
instance, when comparing the economical
benets of some large afforestation programmes, with their ecological and social disadvantages. How can we be sure that the
choices made when starting restoration projects
will succeed in reaching the dened goals in the
21. Monitoring and Evaluating Forest Restoration Success
long run? Forest restoration successes are

seldom complete or easy to evaluate, and the
type of global indicators used by foresters (such
as planted trees height or diameter growth, or
plantation cover) give very little information to
help assessment in the modern sense of restoration in large-scale conservation.
Thus, monitoring and periodic evaluation of
advances in the restoration process is not an
optional extra, but a critical and essential part
of restoration, that restorationists need to consider mainly in order to do the following:
Conrm the hypotheses used to develop the
restoration programme and ensure that
dened goals are reached and the time frame
respected. For example, from an ecological perspective, it is important to restore
damaged components of forest ecosystems
and reintegrate them within the landscape.
Proceed to ne-tuning management actions
that correct problems encountered during
restoration (e.g., lower or higher survival of
seedlings than expected) or incorrect choices.
Adapt restoration actions to changes along a
restoration trajectory, which will inevitably
last several decades, especially with respect
to aspects that go far beyond what those initiating the project could forecast (e.g., social
issues such as demand for land, awareness of
environmental issues; economic issues such
as wood prices or demand for nontimber
forest products (NTFPs); and ecological
issues such as climate change).
Prove to stakeholders that the investments
(not only nancial) in the restoration programme are worthwhile.
1.2. What to Monitor and

Evaluate?
First of all, the scope of restoration evaluation
should t the goals of the programme or help
to redirect them. Nowadays, for forest landscape restoration as dened in this book, the
framework for monitoring restoration success
should analyse the following issues200:
200
WWF, 2003.
151
Naturalness/ecological integrity: Under forest

landscape restoration, some sites mayif
appropriate and in a rst stagebe dedicated to highly unnatural tree cover if these
full legitimate social and economic needs.
However, restoration should have a net
increase in naturalness and integrity (biodiversity and ecosystem functioning) within the
landscape.
Environmental benets: Forest management
that results in environmental damagesuch
as soil erosion, fertiliser run-off, pesticide
spray drift, or downstream hydrological
effectsis incompatible with the wider aims
of forest landscape restoration.
Livelihoods and well-being: Forest landscape
restoration may not improve social wellbeing at every site, but should improve it on
a landscape scale. The involvement of key
stakeholders in decision-making processes
should help to ensure that issues relating to
human well-being are fully addressed.
Not all projects will have such a broad range
of objectives: the framework outlined above is
one for restoration projects that seek to balance
social and environmental benets. We believe
that this should become the norm.
1.3. How to Evaluate? The Difcult

Selection of Criteria and
Indicators
A set of pertinent indicators should be agreed
upon and tested to reect the restoration
advances for each issue. They should reveal
current conditions, and reect on what has been
done in the past by foresters and other forest
managers. They should capture information on
ecosystem health (i.e., relative absence of
disease or pests of epidemic proportions) as
well as diversity and productivity at plot and
landscape scales. They should also reveal to
what extent the explicitly restoration-oriented
project has improved the delivery of ecosystem
services.
To be effective, each indicator should be
SM(a)RRT. That is:
Simple (e.g., vegetation cover [percent],
number of tree species present)
152
D. Vallauri et al
Measurable (e.g., percent of badlands in a

given landscape or watershed, biodiversity
indices, and indices of productivity for timber
and nontimber products, and money ow for
restoration and monitoring)
Reliable (e.g., ecological function demonstrated, indicators of structure and composition)
Relevant: It should be linked, if possible, to
critical stage(s) of ecosystem change in
response to restoration or other management (the notion of ecological thresholds;
e.g., criteria expressing or reecting biodiversity, ows and functions, structure, and
contingency)
Timely: Indicators should be chosen to take
into account the contingency factors imposed
by past uses and degradation, and the
restoration process. The framework for monitoring should be ideally developed starting
with an initial evaluation before the beginning of the project and thereafter be reappraised regularly. The periodicity of the
evaluation needs to be in accordance with
the planned process of restoration, taking
into account goals, phases, and stages.
scape, or, to use a newly emerging term, socioecosystem, a degree of subjectivity can never be
excluded. To increase objectivity and fairness,
two strategies pertain:
Ideally, indicators should also be sensitive

to small changes in a systems trajectory, as
expressed in structure, composition, and functioning, and broadly able to be generalised to
other systems and situations across a range of
ecological and socioeconomic conditions.201
In the Saignon case study,202 a pioneer stage

dominated by exotics (Austrian black pine)
planted in 1870 was evaluated only from the
perspective of erosion and forest production.
Fine-tuning and corrective actions were limited
until the site faced problems 110 years after
planting: mainly lack of regeneration and specic infestation of the stands by mistletoe
(Viscum album L.). Regeneration potential and
sanitary conditions and opportunities for the
dissemination of native broad-leaved species
should have been monitored earlier to avoid
problems and to speed up the ecological restoration processan error not to be repeated!
In the 1990s a full set of indicators was identied and evaluated, aiming to highlight the functions that have recovered and to identify the
main constraints and trade-offs currently
affecting ongoing restoration of native broadleaved forest. Indicators captured information
1.4. Setting a Framework for

A large number of descriptors and indicators
are possible, and many have been described in
the technical literature. How to choose among
them? In line with the above-mentioned criteria, and in light of the specic objectives and
budgetary constraints (data collecting is
costly), it should be possible to collectively set
priorities.
It should be noted that in attempting the
diagnosis, evaluation, and monitoring of something as complex as a forest ecosystem, land201
Aronson and Le Floch, 1996; Aronson et al, 1993a,b.
A complementary portfolio of several attributes should be selected, covering at least two

different hierarchical levels (Table 21.1). In a
forest landscape restoration initiative, the
evaluation at landscape level is compulsory.
It is both the most critical and the most
difcult to evaluate of the four included in
Table 21.1.
All such evaluations ideally should be considered as relative. Thus, the exercise can
benet greatly if comparisons are carried out
between comparable sites within a landscape,
or among landscapes.
2. Examples
2.1. Evaluating Ecological
Components of Badlands
Restoration in Southwestern
Alps (Saignon, France), 130
Years After Planting
202
153
Table 21.1. Partial list of vital attributes, classied by hierarchical organisation level and according to
relation to the diversity, ows and functioning, structure, and contingencies of the ecological system.
Hierarchical
level
System components
Diversity
Population
Genotypic
and
phenotypic
diversity
Community
Diversity of
species and
functional
groups
among
plants,
animals, and
microorganisms
Keystone
species
Diversity of
species,
habitat, and
functional
groups
Keystone
communities
Ecosystem
Landscape
Ecodiversity,
diversity of
functional
groups
Keystone
ecosystems
Flows and functions
Structural factors
Gene ow:
pollination, seed
production
Matter and energy:
food and energy
available
Functions:
intraspecic interaction
Gene ow:
hybridation
Matter and energy:
water efciency, cations
exchange capacity,
cycling indices
Functions:
productivity,
interactions among
populations
Gene ow: vector of
seed dissemination and
pollination, seed
stocking, predation
Matter and energy:
soil cycles indices
Functions:
regeneration,
productivity, soil
biological activity, seed
distribution, host
population control
Gene ow: patterns
of dissemination
Matter and energy:
cycling indices, uxes
among ecosystems
Functions:
disturbance regime,
connectivity
Contingency factors
Age structure, sexual

ratio
Height, productivity
Human impact:
present and past uses
Environment: chorology,
autecology, distance to
seed sources
Tree species richness,

life form spectrum
Total vegetation cover,
vertical heterogeneity
Age, above-ground and
below biomass,
productivity
Human impact:
Environment:
ecological niche
Total land cover, soil

surface conditions
Microbial biomass
Number of dead trees
Human impact:
Environment: type of
sites
Land forms and units,

ecotones, corridors
Organisms regularly
crossing ecotones
Human impact:
present and past
land-use
Environment:
ecosystem zonation
For further discussion see Aronson and Le Floch (1996).

Note: This list of attributes, which could be analysed to evaluate the restoration success, must be complemented by
socioeconomic attributes indicating the socioeconomic success of the restoration programmes.
on a wide range of issues like diversity (of trees

and birds at community level), structure (of
the soil, of the Austrian pine population), functions (dissemination of tree seeds at the landscape level, soil biological activity) and
contingency factors (land use at site and landscape levels).
2.2. Vietnam: A Participatory

Monitoring System Covering
Biological and Socioeconomic
Elements of Restoration
A monitoring and evaluation system for the
Central Truong Son in Vietnam has been devel-
154
D. Vallauri et al
oped by the Forest Protection Department and

WWF. It aims to measure environmental and
social trends, communicate achievements,
and identify threats and opportunities. Over
60 meetings took place with stakeholders at the
national, provincial, district, and commune level
to identify 20 core indicators to measure
progress on four fronts: forest condition and biodiversity, forest ecosystem services, livelihoods,
and capacity for good natural resource management. Many of the indicators come from existing government statistics, sometimes with extra
analysis, and some additional indicators will be
monitored by other stakeholders. Indicators
include natural forest; private and public plantations; legal and illegal timber production; nontimber forest products; measures of sustainable
forest management; proportion of reforestation
budget for natural regeneration; number of
restoration projects; areas needing restoration;
forest res; statistics relating to the wildlife
trade and protected areas; catchment protection
and irrigation; social indicators including,
amongst others, life expectancy, health centres,
and education; government training; ratio of
arrests for illegal hunting and wildlife trade to
successful prosecutions; and specic targets of
the initiative. It is notable that only a proportion
of indicators relate directly to biodiversity
restoration; many are there to give context and
to measure other aspects of the broader project,
which aims to restore a range of forest functions
for people as well as biodiversity (see case study
Vietnam).
2.3. A Framework and Database to

Evaluate Restoration
Programmes in the
Mediterranean Region
Forest restoration experience in the Mediterranean region is long-standing, both in the
north and in the south. During the last two centuries, a large number of restoration initiatives
have been implemented at the site or landscape
level, although several distinct phases can be
identied with very different approaches, aims,
and techniques. A rst phase started in the
mid-19th century, considering restoration of
specic forest functions (like erosion control

for example) by slope engineering and planting
and seeding of trees, grasses, and shrubs. A
second phase, since the 1950s, has been considering afforestation for wood production in
the context of reducing re damage. The latest
phase is currently considering ecological
restoration in the modern sense, both at the
site level and at wider scales. To take advantage
and learn from this long experience, a knowledge project (funded by the EU-Directorate
General V) was set up and conducted by the
CEAM (Centro de Estudios Ambientales
Mediterrneos) Foundation (Valencia, Spain)
and partners from ve Mediterranean countries
(Spain, Greece, Italy, Portugal, and France).
Named REACTION, (Restoration Actions
to Combat Desertication in the Northern
Mediterranean), this programme aims at establishing a database of land restoration in the
northern Mediterranean by collecting welldocumented restoration projects; selecting and
applying the most appropriate methodology
to evaluate the results of restoration projects;
facilitating access to high-quality information
for forest managers, policy makers, and other
stakeholders; and providing restoration guidelines in light of a critical analysis of contrasted
past and innovative techniques. Although it is
still underway at the time of writing, this
programme already provides online access
to a wide range of evaluated restoration programmes in various ecological, historical, and
socioeconomical contexts (http://www.ceam.es/
reaction).
3. Outline of Tools
Monitoring and evaluation of broad-scale
restoration is still in the early stages of development, but some tools are already available
for use:
Ecological attributes: A list of vital attributes
at various hierarchical levels (population,
ecosystem, and landscape attributes for biodiversity, naturalness, functions, etc.) has
been provided and tested by several authors.
Table 21.1 presents an attempt at a formulation for monitoring.
Restoration plan, including monitoring and

evaluation denition: Unlike forest management plans, relatively few restoration plans
have been fully conceptualised and written in
a form that allows comparison. Furthermore,
monitoring and evaluation is very often
absent at the beginning of the programme. A
list of indicators and monitoring protocols
such as the periodicity of monitoring (which
may be variable along the restoration trajectory) should be dened before inclusion in
the restoration plan.
Restoration databases (learning from past
projects): A lot could be learned from past
restoration successes and failures. The analysis of databases of long-term restoration projects is very useful, like the world database
launched by UNEP-WCMC (http://www.
unep-wcmc.org/forest/restoration/database.
htm) or the database of evaluated restoration
programmes in the Mediterranean region
(http://www.ceam.es/reaction).
Photographs, mapping, experimental design
and statistics,203 and eld notes are important
tools for understanding the restoration
process.
Criteria and indicators: Although poorly
developed for restoration, there is already
considerable experience in the development
and use of criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management, and some of these
could easily be adapted for restoration
projects, particularly when they are capable
of measuring trends in forest quality over
time.
4. Future Needs
The needs for further development are important here. They include the following:
Improvement in methodologies for monitoring and evaluating human well-being in the
context of restoration: Although lists of attributes, indicators, and methodologies exist in
the literature, very few have been adapted to
203
Michener, 1997.
155
forest restoration. Adapting and eld testing

them will be necessary in the coming years.
A unied procedure for monitoring restoration programmes: Attempts to develop a
common form and approach to monitoring
and evaluating large-scale restoration efforts,
such as the REACTION programme
described above, are essential, although they
pose considerable challenges. Development
of these programmes are needed in other
geographical regions, coupled with eld tests
and modications.
Economic tools to secure funds for assistance
in long-term monitoring and ne-tuning: Sustainable nancing remains a key problem to
restore forest ecosystems in the longer term.
Designating a specic part of a states forest
service to be responsible for forest restoration, and subsequently integrating restoration into normal management procedures
(through the management plan) could be
part of the solution.
Finally, eld testing and learning from years
of experience are still essential to build up a
database of knowledge.
References
Pontanier, R. 1993a. Restoration and rehabilitation of degraded ecosystems in arid and semi-arid
lands. I. A view from the south. Restoration
Ecology 1:817.
Pontanier, R. 1993b. Restoration and rehabilitation of degraded ecosystems in arid and semi-arid
lands. II. Case studies in southern Tunisia, central
Chile and northern Cameroon. Restoration
Ecology 3:168187.
Aronson, J., and Le Floch, E. 1996. Vital landscape
attributes: missing tools for restoration ecology.
Michener, W.K. 1997. Quantitatively evaluating
restoration experiments: research design, statistical analysis and data management considerations.
Sheil, D., Nasi, R., and Johnson, B. 2004. Ecological
criteria and indicators for tropical forest landscapes: challenges in search of progress. Ecology
and Society 9(1):7 (online). URL:http//www.
ecologyandsociety.org/vol9/Iss1/art7.
156
D. Vallauri et al
Vallauri, D., Aronson, J., and Barbro, M. 2002. An

analysis of forest restoration 120 years after reforestation of badlands in the southwestern Alps.
WWF. 2003. Indicators for measuring progress

towards forest landscape restoration: a draft
framework for WWFs Forests for Life Programme. Unpublished report, Gland, Switzerland.
Case Study: Monitoring Forest

Landscape Restoration in Vietnam
Nigel Dudley and Nguyen Thi Dao
The challenge: the government of Vietnam is

committed to forest restoration and protection
and has major reforestation grants available.
But although these can in theory support both
natural regeneration and plantations, virtually
all funds have been used for exotic plantations,
particularly of Acacia mangium. The structure
of the Five Million Hectare Reforestation Programme hampers exibility,and although large
plantations have been established, it seems
likely that in several provinces a lot of money
has been wasted. In some areas planting is
rumoured to cover the same land repeatedly,
with seedlings quickly being cut and sold as
rewood and the land used for swidden agriculture before being planted again. Because
the job security of many Forest Protection
Department ofcials is tied to the programme,
they are under pressure to maintain the status
quo even when this makes little environmental or economic sense. Restoration is needed
both in terms of tree cover and in particular
forest quality, especially in protected area
buffer zones and along the route of the Ho Chi
Minh highway. Successful restoration will
depend on the support of local communities
and the political will to take into account the
importance of indigenous plant species, yet
there is little experience of stakeholder
involvement or participatory approaches in
Vietnam.
The Opportunity
The multidonor Forest Sector Support Programme is funding forest management developments in Vietnam and provides an
157
opportunity to look at the programme afresh,

to nd ways of realigning it to maximise environmental and social gains. The government
has been working with various stakeholders,
with facilitation from WWF, in developing a
conservation strategy for the Central Truong
Son (Annamites) Landscape across seven
provinces in the middle of the country, which
aims to use a mixture of protection, good
forest management, and restoration to create
a landscape that will support both biodiversity
and local livelihoods.204 There have already
been some good, local-level forest restoration
projects (including some run by the German
technical development organisation GTZ and
WWFs MOSAIC (Management of Strategic
Areas for Integrated Conservation) project),
which provide lessons that can be applied
more widely.205
Interventions
A monitoring and evaluation system was
developed to measure progress on forest landscape restoration in the Central Truong Son
Landscape Biodiversity Conservation Initiatives Action Plan by WWF working in cooperation with the Government of Vietnams
Forest Protection Department.206 Over 60
stakeholder meetings took place at the
national, provincial, district, and commune
level to identify around 30 core indicators.
204
205
206
Baltzer et al, 2001.

Hardcastle et al, 2004.
Dudley et al, 2003.
158
N. Dudley and N.T. Dao
Indicators measure progress on four fronts:

forest condition and biodiversity, forest
ecosystem services, livelihoods, and capacity
for good natural resource management. Many
indicators come from existing government
statistics, sometimes with extra analysis, and
some additional indicators will be monitored
by WWF and other stakeholders, augmented
by information from research reports and
surveys so that as complete a picture as possible is developed. Simple benchmarks have
also been agreed upon for the different indicators, for instance an increasing area of
natural forests and life expectancy reaching
a regional average, which help to set measurable targets for the programme. The indicators include measuring the impact and success
of restoration, including the proportion of the
Five Million Hectare Programme budget used
for natural regeneration. By talking to different interest groups, and getting agreement
from the government, the monitoring system
also serves as a way of negotiating policy; for
instance, by agreeing to measure trends in use
of funds for natural regeneration as opposed
to just large-scale plantation, stakeholders
including the government are recognising this
as a target, making it easier to plan restoration
interventions. Since the initial work, the
importance of monitoring and evaluation is
increasingly being recognised. The Forest
Sector Support Programme is developing a
monitoring and evaluation system based on
the one in the Central Truong Son, and other
long-term restoration projects are also
recognising the need for good monitoring and
evaluation.
Lessons Learned
A well-designed monitoring and evaluation
system has been identied as a critical step in
a successful integrated conservation and
development project.207 The experience in
Vietnam bears this out but also shows that a
shared monitoring system applied at a landscape scale, which integrates different projects, actors, and stakeholders towards a larger
goal, can play a key role in scaling restoration
and conservation efforts up to a landscape.
References
Baltzer, M., Dao, N.T., and Shore, R. 2001. Towards
a Vision for Biodiversity Conservation in the
Forests of the Lower Mekong Ecoregion
Complex. WWF Indochina Programme, Hanoi.
Dudley, N., Cu, N., and Manh, V.T. 2003. A Monitoring and Evaluation System for Forest Landscape Restoration in the Central Truong Son
Landscape. WWF Indochina Programme and
Government of Vietnam, Hanoi.
Hardcastle, J., Rambaldi, G., Long, B., Lanh, L.V.,
and Son, D.Q. 2004. The use of participatory
three-dimensional modelling in communitybased planning in Quang Nam province,
Vietnam. PLA Notes 49:7076.
McShane, T.O., and Wells, M.P. 2004. Getting Biodiversity Projects to Work: Towards More Effective Conservation and Development. Columbia
University Press, New York.
207
McShane and Well, 2004.
Section VIII
Financing and Promoting Forest
22
Opportunities for Long-Term
Financing of Forest Restoration
in Landscapes
Kirsten Schuyt

The key to tapping into private and public
sector funding opportunities for forest landscape restoration lies in making it nancially
and economically attractive. This requires
estimating and recognising the economic
values of forests and the role restoration can
play in increasing this economic value. It also
requires proper pricing of forest goods and
services and setting up mechanisms where
money is transferred to pay these prices,
such as payments for environmental services
(PES).
In light of economic liberalisation, private
sector funding, including PES, provides a
lucrative opportunity for nancing restoration activities.
In terms of public funding, it will be increasingly important to mainstream forest landscape restoration in other programmes,
including poverty reduction programmes.
1. Background and
The economic, social, and biodiversity values of
forests are increasingly being recognised, and
many countries have understood the need to
better manage their forest resources. At the
same time, in 1997 the Intergovernmental Panel
on Forests (IPF) found that domestic nancial
resources were insufcient to achieve sustainable management, development, or conservation of forests. With the threat of worsening
forest depletion in many parts of the world
leading to further degradation of forest goods
and services, it is recognised that there is a critical need to explore new and innovative ways
of nancing improved forest management and
conservation, including the restoration of forest
resources.
Forest landscape restoration is a long-term
process and will generally require sustained
sources of funding. All too often, overreliance
on grants means that funds can only be obtained
for short-term projects, and a long term-effort
such as the restoration of forests suffers. Grants,
however, are not the only source of funding, and
a number of options for long-term nancing
of forest landscape restoration are highlighted
below (see Outline of Tools).
Traditional nancing sources for forestry in
developing countries have been domestic public
and private, foreign public and private, and
international organisations, including NGOs.
Depending on the objective of the forestry activities (environmental conservation, subsistence
needs for local people, commercial purposes),
different nancing sources have been sought.
However, global nancing trends in general are
changing, and a wave of economic liberalisation
is providing impetus for increased private sector
participation.208 These trends allow for new
nancing opportunities from the private sector
208
Joshi, 1998, p. 6.
161
162
K. Schuyt
for restoration activities. In light of declining

external public funding and weak prospects for
new and additional public funding of overseas
development assistance (ODA) in forestry,
private capital ows represent potential opportunities for restoration initiatives.
The key to nancing opportunities from both
private and public funding sources for landscape-scale forest restoration lies in recognising
its full economic and nancial value. This
requires estimating and recognising the economic values of forests and therefore recognising the benets provided by restoring these
forest values. The restoration or loss of these
values can then be more realistically weighted
against other possible uses of the land. In a
landscape context, it then becomes possible to
better select areas within the landscape for different uses, allowing a potentially more complete range of values and benets to be offered.
This also requires proper pricing of forest
goods and services and setting up mechanisms
where money is transferred to pay these prices.
One way to do this is by selling environmental
services of forests, such as carbon sequestration, watershed protection, and biodiversity, to
nance restorationa mechanism called payments for environmental services (PES) (see
Payment for Environmental Services and
Restoration). The PES mechanisms ensure
that those who supply environmental services
are paid by those who use these services. These
range from public payments to self-organised
private deals. For example, private companies
such as downstream bottling companies pay
upstream communities for sustainably managing the forests in the watershed that provide
services such as watershed protection on which
the bottling companies depend. At the basis
of sustainable watershed management should
be restoration, where the key is convincing
investors that such activities will ensure sustainable environmental services as sustainable
production inputs, thereby making landscape
scale restoration nancially and economically
attractive. Another example of PES is paying
for carbon sequestration; energy companies
could invest money in restoration projects to
increase the carbon sequestration service of
forests for the purpose of meeting their carbon
offsets, as is allowed under the Kyoto protocol.
2. Examples
Notwithstanding the need for continued public
investment in restoration, the two examples
below illustrate private sector involvement in
forest restoration activities. Both examples
illustrate how restoration can be made economically interesting to attract new investors
the private sectorto mobilise innovative
sources of nancing.
2.1. Private For-Prot Sources:

Outgrower Schemes, South
Africa209
In an outgrower scheme, a company provides
marketing and production services to farmers
to grow trees on their land under specic agreements. In 2002, 12,000 smallholder tree growers
were involved in these schemes in South Africa
on about 27,000 hectares of land. Although the
outgrower timber provides only a small percentage of a larger companys pulp mill output
and is more expensive per tonne than wood
from other sources, it provides important bre
that would otherwise be unavailable due to
land tenure constraints. It also provides companies with a better image at a time when the
distribution of land rights in South Africa is
being discussed. Community motivations are
mostly for cash income at harvest, while trees
are also seen as a form of savings. The two
schemes with the largest membership are Sappi
and Mondi, where smallholders grow eucalyptus trees with seedlings, credit, fertiliser, and
extension advice from the companies. The companies in return expect to buy all the harvest at
the end of the growing cycle.
2.2. Payments for Forest Services:

Pimampiro Payment for
Watershed Services Scheme,
Ecuador210
The Paluarco river is used for irrigation and
drinking but is of poor quality due to agri-
209
210
Taken from Gutman, 2003.

Taken from Gutman, 2003.
22. Opportunities for Long-Term Financing of Restoration
cultural discharge upstream. Under a pioneering project for Ecuador, landowners in the
Paluarco river sub-watershed are being paid to
manage the forest in the watershed in order to
protect water sources. In 2001 the municipality
approved an ordinance that established the
Water Regulation for the Payment of Environmental Services from Forest and Paramo
Conservation. A fund was created to channel
payments from beneciaries (mostly domestic
water users) to those providing good quality of
water through maintenance of forest cover
upstream.
3. Outline of Tools211
As outlined in section 1, new opportunities for
nancing large-scale restoration are arising
from the private sector. Opportunities, however, still exist in public funding sources. This
section discusses how specic nancing sources,
including private and public sources as well as
international organisations, can be mobilised
for forest landscape restoration activities.
3.1. Financing from Domestic

Public Sources
General strategies to increase public sources
for large-scale restoration involve activities like
improving expenditure policies on forestry,
reforming macroeconomic policies (including
taxes and subsidies), and putting in place new
incentives, subsidies, and technical and institutional changes to support restoration that provides wider benets (also see Perverse Policy
Incentives). It is, however, also important to
improve the administrative capacity of forestry
agencies themselves to increase their efciency
to collect revenue and to use the resources efciently for restoration. Other ways to increase
forest revenues from public funding are to
ensure the proper pricing of forest goods and
services (through charges, policies that demand
full-cost pricing, permits, licensing, etc.) or
setting up special forest trust funds with ear-
211
Based on Joshi, 1998; Gutman, 2003; and the Conservation Finance Alliance online guide, 2002.
163
marked taxes to nance specic restoration

activities. It is also possible to use tax measures
that tax downstream beneciaries to fund
restoration upstream.
3.2. Multilateral and Bilateral

Donors
Given the declining trend in ODA, efforts must
be directed at maintaining current funds from
multi- and bilateral aid. In general, however,
environment is no longer a top priority of
development and cooperation agencies, and it
has now been mainstreamed in all development
activities under the new sector approach
embraced by many donor agencies. Therefore,
successful proposals for forest landscape
restoration from multilateral and bilateral
donors increasingly need to explain how forest
landscape restoration activities will address
poverty alleviation. Furthermore, it is also
useful to use ODA to leverage private funding
for restoration. The World Banks Sustainable
Forest Market Transformation Initiative
(SFMTI) is a good example, which promotes
private sector participation in forest management. Another example is USAIDs (US
Agency for International Development)
Biodiversity Conservation Network, which
provides seed money to promote the participation of the private sector in biodiversity-based
business.
3.3. Private Not-for-Prot Sources

Private not-for-prot sources include nancing channelled from local communities, international foundations, and NGOs for forest
landscape restoration activities. International
NGOs have become important for providing
new nancing mechanisms, of which environment trust funds or foundations are particularly
interesting for providing nancing to natural
resource management in general. Trust funds
are not philanthropic foundations. Rather, they
raise money to carry out their own programmes
and have specic missions and interests and
sometimes geographical focusses. The main
purpose of setting up a trust fund has traditionally been to provide long-term stable
funding for national parks and other protected
164
K. Schuyt
areas or small grants to local NGOs and community groups for projects aimed at conserving
biodiversity and using natural resources more
sustainably. Such trust funds could be set up to
support the restoration of forest values over the
long term.
3.4. Private for-Prot Sources

Private for-prot sources range from mobilising
households to invest in restoration to investments from large international corporations.
Household investments will have an effect only
if the projects offer short-term benets with an
acceptable level of risk. These benets can be
an increased income for households or indirect
payments in, for example, alternative livelihoods, roads, schools, and so on. On the other
hand, a more grant-type of nancing from large
private companies like dam, oil, plantation, and
mining companies can be mobilised to pay for
forest restoration as compensation for environmental disruption they may cause. This motivation may also come from business ethics and
thus be part of a companys public relations
campaign. An example is where environmental
NGOs are invited by a plantation company to
restore part of their land according to standards
compatible with forest landscape restoration.
Lastly, engaging conventional capital markets
by channelling capital toward forest management and restoration has potential. For
example, Xylem Investment Inc. is an international timber investment company based on
equity investments in plantation forests in
developing countries that attracts U.S. pension
funds, insurance companies, and others that
prefer safer and steadier-growth investments.
This company manages forest assets worth $235
million. Another example is Precious Woods, an
international timber company that focusses on
sustainably produced timber in Latin America.
Funding from these sources could also be
mobilised for forest landscape restoration.
3.5. Payments for Forest Goods

and Services
Market-based nancing has both potentials and
limitations but it does provide real opportuni-
ties for mobilising funds for forest landscape

restoration. A good example of payments for
environmental goods is the certication body,
the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), which
developed a market for sustainably produced
wood and wood products that come with a seal
of approval or certicate. In terms of payments
for environmental services, a good example is
the increase in projects that create payment
mechanisms where downstream beneciaries
pay for the sustainable management of forests
upstream. Such systems provide signicant
opportunities for innovative funding for forest
landscape restoration.
3.6. International Systems of

Payments for the
Environmental Commons
There has been some progress at international
level to pay for the global commons. The best
known is the Global Environmental Facility
(GEF), which provides partial grant funding to
eligible countries for projects that address
threats to the environment in four areas: biodiversity loss, climate change, ozone depletion,
and degradation of international waters. Under
its biodiversity programme, the GEF can
support conservation and sustainable use of signicant biodiversity, including forest ecosystems. Funding from GEF for forest landscape
restoration could be mobilised under this area.
In a landscape context, it will be possible
to initiate a restoration activity with public
funding in order to address immediate livelihood needs (e.g., provision of traditional medicines, reduction in peoples vulnerability). In
the longer term, and still within the context of
landscapes and the restoration of many forest
benets, it may become possible to ensure sustained funding by the private sector in order to
meet additional benets (such as certied nontimber forest products, for instance).
4. Future Needs
The key need for further development across
all funding opportunities is to become more
innovative in nding funding in an increasingly
22. Opportunities for Long-Term Financing of Restoration
competitive market. Whether this means creating partnerships with organisations that were
previously unheard of, making forest landscape
restoration nancially lucrative for actors with
funding to become involved in such projects,
mainstreaming restoration into other types of
projects such as development projects, or mobilising funding from other nonenvironmental
sources toward forest landscape restoration,
there is a real need to think outside the
box and search for innovative funding opportunities. In light of economic liberalisation,
private sector funding, including PES, might
provide a lucrative opportunity for nancing
broad-scale restoration. Establishing clearer
links with livelihood concerns is also a clear
need, whether it be poverty reduction, disease
control and prevention, postconict resolution,
etc.
References
Gutman, P., ed. 2003. From Good-Will to Payments
for Environmental ServicesA Survey of Financing Natural Resource Management in Developing
Countries. WWF-MPO, Economic Change,
Poverty and Environment Project, DANIDA,
165
Copenhagen, Denmark and WWF, Washington,

DC.
Joshi, M. 1998. Innovative Financing for Sustainable
Forest Management. UNDP, PROFOR, New
York.
Additional Reading
Chandrasekharan, C. 1996. Status of nancing
for sustainable forestry. Proceedings of the
UNDP/Denmark/South Africa Workshop on
Financial Mechanisms and Sources of Finance for
Sustainable Forestry, Pretoria, South Africa, 47
June.
Conservation Finance Alliance. 2002. Mobilizing
funding for biodiversity conservationa userfriendly training guide for understanding, selecting
and implementing conservation nance mechanisms. http://guide.conservationnance.org.
EFTRN News. 2001/2002. Innovative nance mechanisms for conservation and sustainable forest
management. European Tropical Forest Research
Network, No. 35.
Lapham, N.P., and Livermore, R.J. 2003. Ensuring
Conservations Place on the International Biodiversity Assistance Agenda. Conservation International, Washington, DC.
WWF-MPO. 2000. Wants, Needs and Rights
Economic Instruments and Biodiversity Conservation: A Dialogue. WWF, Washington, DC.
23
Payment for Environmental Services
and Restoration
Kirsten Schuyt

Payments for environmental services provide real opportunities for innovative conservation nancing.
Payments for environmental services can
work effectively in landscape-level restoration projects where large scales are involved
as well as many different stakeholders.
Payments for environmental services are still
relatively new, and opportunities for
regrouping services (bundling them) seem
to offer an interesting way forward.
1. Background and
Forests provide a wide variety of benets.
They provide goods such as fuel wood, construction materials, and nontimber products, as
well as services including watershed protection,
carbon sequestration, reduction of sedimentation, water purication, and biodiversity.
Despite these benets, forests are severely
threatened in many parts of the world. Deforestation is taking place at alarming rates,
accompanied by a loss in forest goods and
services.
The causes of deforestation are complex,
and include market and institutional failures.
Many forest benets lack well-dened property
166
rights. This is especially the case with forest

services. For example, cutting down trees
upstream can increase the amount of sedimentation and ooding downstream. Since the costs
associated with sedimentation and ooding are
not borne by the upstream communities that
cut down the trees, these costs will not be incorporated in their decisions. The value of the
forest to these upstream communities is perceived to be much less than their full value, and
the result is the cutting of more trees than is
optimal.212
Payments for environmental services (PES)
(also known as payments for ecosystem services) are instruments that arose as a response
to remedy market failure; PES implies that
those who use the ecosystem service pay those
who provide the service, and can include a wide
range of mechanisms for nancing conservation, such as the following213:
Self-organised private deals: direct, closed
transactions with little government involvement, involving private entities who are
usually offsite beneciaries of forest services
Public payments: government payments for the
protection of specic ecosystem services
through better land and forest management
Open trading: a government regulation creates
demand for a particular environmental
service by setting a cap on the damage to an
ecosystem service or establishing a oor
212
213
Pagiola et al. 2002.

Inbar and Scherr, 2004.
23. Payment for Environmental Services and Restoration
Ecolabelling: certifying forest and farm products that were produced in ways consistent
with biodiversity conservation
Many examples of PES systems exist, where
the most common forest services that have
been addressed by PES are carbon sequestration, watershed protection, landscape beauty,
and biodiversity conservation. Since payment
mechanisms are very different across these four
services but also across countries, it is difcult
to generalise about how PES works. However,
there are certain elements of success.214 First, as
with any market, there needs to be supply and
demand.
There needs to be a product: supply. There
needs to be a product (the forest service) to sell,
such as watershed protection, carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation, and landscape beauty. Also, many services do not come
alone. Is it possible to regroup or bundle the
services? It is very important to clearly document the relationship between the provision of
the service and the economic benets: for
example, what is the relationship between
upstream watershed protection and downstream land use?
There need to be buyers: demand. There
needs to be a demand for the forest services.
Just because a forest provides a service does not
mean that there is a market for it. This demand
may be local, national, or global. For example,
the demand for watershed protection arises
mostly from local or national buyers, while the
demand for carbon sequestration may come
from anywhere in the world. The type of
demand determines the type of system to establishwater markets are very site-specic,
depending on the institutional context, while
carbon markets can actually learn from each
other and even compete.
In addition to supply and demand, other elements must be in place to ensure success:
Mechanisms to capture willingness to pay: These
mechanisms must capture part or even all of
the benets provided by the forest services
and transform them into actual payments to
214
Pagiola et al, 2002.
167
encourage forest conservation or restoration.

The key is to establish a mechanism with low
transaction costs, where the costs of capturing the benets (including the opportunity
coststhe lost benets associated with other
land uses) are lower than the benets. For
watershed protection, for example, benets
are easiest to capture and at a lower cost
when users are already organised (municipal
water supply, irrigation systems, etc.) and
when some form of payment mechanism is
already in place, such as a domestic water fee.
Payments for watershed protection can then
be added to this fee.
Identication of key actors: A key step is to
identify who the key actors are that supply
the forest services. Different actors can be
involvedNGOs, commercial companies,
private landowners, farmers, governments,
donors, community groups, and so on. Each
of these stakeholders may be able to play a
crucial role in the PES system, which must be
identied. It is also important to understand
their motivations, for example for logging,
and what is required for them to conserve or
restore.
Developing the institutional structure: It is necessary to develop the market infrastructure:
access to information on values and quantity,
negotiation, monitoring and enforcement
mechanisms, and so forth. A key institution is
property rights, which dene who owns the
carbon sequestered in the forest or the trees
that protect the watershed. Without clear
ownership or usufruct of the services, they
cannot be bought or sold.
A more detailed discussion on these elements can be found elsewhere.215
The opportunities from PES for forest landscape restoration are potentially enormous.
Because of the dramatic loss in forest cover
worldwide, and the consequent loss in forest
goods and services, there is great potential to
incorporate payments for environmental services into a broad-scale approach to restoration.
The sorts of goods and services that restored
forests can provide and that can be quantied
215
168
K. Schuyt
include payments for the carbon sequestered

by forests, watershed protection of forests, and
biodiversity conservation of forests.
Concerns have been raised as to how PES
will affect the environment and the poor. Does
it help conservation and do the poor benet or
is it a mere silver bullet?
The next section gives three examples of
PESs in relation to forest conservation that
provide opportunities for forest landscape
restoration.
2. Examples
2.1. Payments for Watershed
Protection: The Case of
Costa Rica216
The hydrological impact of widespread deforestation has been a major concern throughout
Central America, followed by a strong interest
to tackle deforestation. Within this context,
Costa Rica pioneered a PES approach in which
land users were directly compensated for the
environmental services they generated. Costa
Rica has had one of the highest rates of deforestation in the world, mostly driven by conversion to agriculture and pasture. As a result of
deforestation, water services deteriorated, but
responses, mostly regulation, to deal with deforestation had largely failed.
In the beginning of 1997, Costa Rica developed an elaborate system of PES to deal with
deforestation called Pago por Servicios Ambientales (PSA). In this system, land users are
compensated directly for the environmental
services they provide, which enables them to
include the services in their decisions. When the
PSA was created, however, Costa Rica already
had a payments system (essentially through tax
incentives) for reforestation and forest management in place. Most importantly, the institutional structure to contract landowners and pay
them for specic activities already existed. As
part of the PES process, a forestry law was
enacted that built on these institutions. The
law specically recognised four environmental
216
services supplied by forests and provided the

regulatory basis for the government to contract
landowners for the services provided by their
lands. It established a nancing mechanism for
this called FONAFIFO (Fonda Nacional de
Financiamiento Forestal). The two key differences between the PSA and past incentives are
(1) that nancing through the PSA focusses on
the services provided by forests rather than on
the timber, and (2) that the nancing comes
from users of those services rather than public
funds.
Under the PSA, all participants must have a
sustainable forest management plan that is certied by a licensed forester. Once the plans
have been approved, land users begin implementing the different activities and receive payments over 5 years. FONAFIFO in cooperation
with other institutions contracts the service
providers and collects and manages the payments from service beneciaries. The PSA programme is overseen by a governing board that
consists of representatives of the public sector
and the private sector. Most of the nancing
comes from a system that allocates one third of
the revenues from a fossil-fuel sales tax to
FONAFIFO. Other nancial supporters of the
PSA programme have been the World Bank
and the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
The idea is that eventually all beneciaries of
water services (irrigators, domestic users, power
plants, and so on) would pay for the services
they receive.
2.2. Payments for Carbon

Sequestration: The Case of
British Columbia
A valuable service provided by forests is that
forests sequester carbon. The Kyoto protocol
has expanded opportunities for markets for
carbon, in which income from traditional forest
products can be supplemented with the sale of
carbon sequestration services provided by
forests. British Columbia in Canada has started
developing a market for carbon and this section
discusses these developments.217
217
Bull et al, 2002, cited in Pagiola et al, 2002, pp. 201221.
23. Payment for Environmental Services and Restoration
Creating markets for carbon is a complex

process that requires efforts from scientists,
forest companies, energy companies, and government. A necessary rst step is to understand
and quantify forest carbon dynamics and
carbon budgets. At the national level in
Canada, forest carbon budgets have been measured using remote sensing and a carbon budget
model developed by the Canadian forest sector.
At the provincial level, carbon budget calculations are also underway to forecast carbon
budgets into the future. Other models have
been developed to calculate the contribution of
British Columbias forest carbon to the global
carbon cycle as well as models to estimate the
amount of carbon in carbon pools above
ground and in roots, soils, litter, and deadwood.
Another important step is creating the necessary institutional arrangements in government policies and markets. In this respect,
several initiatives have been carried out in
British Columbia, including the establishment
of an emissions trading platform at the
national level called the Greenhouse Emissions
Reduction Trading (GERT) pilot. This was
launched in 1998 and has allowed Canadian
business to gain experience in emissions
trading. Private initiatives to establish an emissions trading platform have also emerged. It
has also been necessary to create a national registry to document sequestration, emission, and
buying and selling of carbon, which was established in 1994 (called Voluntary Challenge and
Registry, VCR). Other necessary institutions
are incentive-based policies in which the Canadian government recognises the role of forests
in global warming and recognises the need to
better understand the role carbon sinks can
play to mitigate global warming. These policies
are currently still under review.
The key to a carbon market is buyers and suppliers. In British Columbia, there is considerable
caution on behalf of potential buyers, resulting
in insufcient incentive on behalf of forest
growers to supply forest carbon. Uncertainty
over the role of forest carbon in the Kyoto protocol also adds to this. The result is that the
market for forest carbon in British Columbia is
still in its infancy, despite strong expressions of
interest from both buyers and sellers.
169
2.3. Payments for Biodiversity

Conservation: RISEMP
in Colombia, Costa Rica
and Nicaragua218
The Regional Integrated Silvopastoral Ecosystem Management Project (RISEMP) is a GEFfunded project implemented by the World
Bank in Colombia, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua.
The project pays farmers directly for the provision of biodiversity services. Silvopastoral
systems combine trees with pasture. They
provide a range of benets to farmers: (1) additional production from trees; (2) maintaining
and/or improving pasture productivity; and (3)
contributing to the overall farming system. Furthermore, the trees provide shade that may
enhance livestock productivity, especially milk
production. In terms of biodiversity, silvopastoral systems support much higher species
diversity than traditional pastures. They also
help to connect protected areas. Other benets
include carbon sequestration (additional
carbon is sequestered by the trees found in silvopastoral systems) and watershed services.
So why, despite such benets, do farmers not
adopt silvopastoral systems more often? The
main reason is the limited protability for the
individual farmer. First, it requires high initial
costs and there is a long time lag before the
system actually becomes productive. Second,
biodiversity carbon and watershed services are
externalities from the farmers perspective;
other parties benet from these services. Therefore, farmers will not take these benets into
account when making decisions. To deal with
this issue of externalities, RISEMP was initiated, its goal being to encourage silvopastoral
systems in degraded areas (micro-watersheds)
in Central and South America. Farmers enter
into contracts under which they receive annual
payments for the environmental services they
generate. Annual payment levels are based on
the opportunity cost to farmers of the main
alternative land use, and the payment for
carbon is set at around the current world price
of U.S. $2 per tonne of CO2 equivalent. It will
218
170
K. Schuyt
be some time before the effectiveness of this

project can be determined, but the intensive
monitoring of this project will allow a detailed
analysis of its effectiveness.
3. Outline of Tools
As has been illustrated by the three case
studies, the creation and development of PES is
complex and requires a wide variety of skills
and tools. It is impossible to list all these tools,
but one that is common to many PESs in one
form or another is the economic valuation of
the goods and services forests provide. The key
is recognising and understanding economic
values of forest services in decision-making
processes related to forests in addition to their
biological and sociocultural values. Economic
valuation tools exist that quantify these economic values in monetary units, which allows
them to then be recognised and weighed
against other values. Examples are the contingent valuation method, which estimates
peoples willingness to pay for an environmental service or peoples willingness to accept
compensation if that service is lost. Another
tool is the replacement cost method, which uses
the costs of replacing an environmental service
as an indication of its value. Yet another
example is the travel cost method, where the
costs people are investing to travel to a forest
area can be used as an indication of the value
those people attach to the area.219
4. Future Needs
Although PES systems are rapidly becoming
more common, many are still in their infancy
and much remains to be learned. For example,
there is a need for a better understanding of
what mechanisms need to be in place for PES
to work. It is also necessary to better under219
See Campbell and Luckert, 2002, for an overview of economic valuation tools for forest resources.
stand the impacts of PES schemes on poor

people and how the poor can really benet
from PES. Lastly, it is increasingly being suggested that there is a need to sell bundles of
environmental services as an incentive for sustainable forest managementjointly selling the
forest services of carbon sequestration, watershed protection, biodiversity, and landscape
beauty as a package. There is, however, a need
to further develop possibilities of linking forest
services successfully.
References
Bull, G., Harkin, Z., and Wong, A. 2002. Developing
a market for forest carbon in British Columbia. In:
Pagiola, S., Bishop, J., Landell-Mills, N., eds. 2002.
Selling Forest Environmental Services: MarketBased Mechanisms for Conservation and Development, Sterling: Earthscan Publications, London.
Campbell, B.M., and Luckert, M.K., eds. 2002.
Uncovering the Hidden Harvest: Valuation
Methods for Woodland and Forest Resources.
Sterling: Earthscan, London.
Inbar, M., and Scherr, S. 2004. Getting Started: A
Guide to Designing Payments for Ecosystem
Services (draft). Forest Trends, Washington, DC.
Pagiola, S., Agostini, P., Gobbi, J., et al. 2004. Paying
for Biodiversity Services in Agricultural Landscapes. World Bank, Washington, DC.
Pagiola, S., Bishop, J., and Landell-Mills, N., eds.
2002. Selling Forest Environmental Services:
Market-Based Mechanisms for Conservation and
Development. Sterling: Earthscan Publications,
London.
Additional Reading
Forest Trends. 2004. Learning More About Payments
for Environmental ServicesCase Studies and
Suggested Resources (draft). Forest Trends,
Washington, DC.
Landell-Mills, N., and Porras, I. 2002. Silver Bullet or
Fools Gold? A Global Review of Markets for
Forest Environmental Services and Their Impact
on the Poor. International Institute for Environment and Development, London.
24
Carbon Knowledge Projects and
Jessica Orrego

The biggest carbon reductions should be
achieved through a reduction in emissions
rather than an expansion of sinks.
The carbon market is still in its infancy.
The potential value of forests as carbon sinks
is important. With agreements such as the
Kyoto protocol as well as voluntary carbon
markets, it is possible to nance carbon
knowledge projects that test out, monitor,
and improve knowledge on forest restoration and carbon.
An approach that integrates, among
others, a carbon sink target can improve the
current afforestation approach and help to
address the traditional social and ecological
weaknesses.
1. Background and
There is still limited knowledge concerning the
long-term impact of climate change, and the
real role that trees can play in absorbing carbon
and in the costs and benets involved in using
restoration as a mechanism to offset carbon
emissions. For these reasons, carbon knowledge
projects are proposed as a way of testing these
parameters in the context of landscape-based
forest restoration activities.
The atmospheric concentration of carbon

dioxide (CO2) has increased by over one third
since the Industrial Revolution. This increase is
primarily attributed to fossil fuel combustion
and also signicantly to land use cover changes
(e.g., conversion of forests to agriculture).
There is broad consensus among scientists that
CO2 is linked to climate change and global
warming. Of course, reducing human dependence on fossil fuels and imposing legally
binding targets for reduced CO2 emissions is
essential to curb atmospheric CO2 concentrations and must be the central focus of any policy
programme. However, to stabilise atmospheric
CO2 concentrations, the international community must also slow the destruction of natural
ecosystems that are important stocks and sinks
of carbon. In addition to slowing the rate of
land conversion, increasing land coverage of
carbon-absorbing vegetation (or carbon sinks)
has been considered a mitigation tool to stabilise the burgeoning concentration of CO2 in
the atmosphere. The concept of carbon sinks is
based on the natural ability of trees and other
plants to take up CO2 from the atmosphere and
store the carbon in wood, roots, leaves, and the
soil. The theory behind land-based carbon
trading is that governments or institutions that
wish to, or that are required to, reduce their
fossil fuel emissions can offset some of these
emissions by investing in afforestation and
reforestation activities, where trees sequester
carbon. Indeed, in some cases private companies are voluntarily electing to offset some of
their fossil fuel CO2 emissions through the pur-
171
172
J. Orrego
chase of carbon credits from land-based carbon

sequestration projects.
The concept of carbon trading, and the subsequent carbon market that has emerged out of it,
is rooted in the U.N. Framework Convention on
Climate Change, which resulted from the Rio
Earth Summit in 1992, and the subsequent 1997
Kyoto protocol. The Kyoto protocol sets forth
legally binding reductions in greenhouse gas
emissions for governments in developed countries (so-called Annex I countries) to be
accomplished during 5-year commitment periods, with the rst commitment period set for
20082012. On average, Annex I countries
would be subject to a 5 percent reduction below
their 1990 emissions levels.
The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM),
article 12 of the Kyoto protocol, provides a exible mechanism through which Annex I parties
can meet their emissions reduction targets by
purchasing carbon that is sequestered through
afforestation and reforestation (and energy)
activities being implemented in Annex II countries (developing countries). Since its creation,
CDM procedures and modalities have evolved
signicantly in response to strong criticism and
debate.
A concern of environmentalists is whether
carbon stored in sinks projects will be
sequestered permanently. Clearly forests are
subject to natural death and also to a variety of
disturbances that result in the release of CO2
back into the atmosphere. This was addressed
at the 9th Conference of the Parties (COP 9) of
the Kyoto protocol signatories in Milan in
December 2003. It was decided that temporary
credits must be reissued or recertied every 5
years and then replaced by another credit.
There are also ways to make forestry activities last for the long term by, for example, introducing land-use systems that are benecial to
local communities, incorporating re management activities into the project, and retaining a
risk buffer from all carbon nance to cover the
costs of reestablishment in case of losses.
Other issues surrounding the sinks debate
include the risk of leakage, whereby afforestation or reforestation project activities in one
area displace forest felling or destruction to
another area. Leakage can be avoided if the
needs of local communities and local market

trends are analysed and incorporated into
project design. It is also necessary that carbon
sequestered in sinks projects would not have
been stored even in the absence of the project,
thereby proving their additionality.
Critics also fear that the CDM reduces pressure from governments to take real action
toward reducing fossil fuel emissions at their
sources. Parties will be able to use the CDM to
meet 1 percent of their below-1990 emissions
target, which equates to approximately 20
percent of a countrys target.
Furthermore, opponents of the CDM are
concerned that efforts to sequester carbon will
result in large-scale monoculture plantations
that have no socioeconomic or ecological
benets.
Some of the key policy issues being discussed
today relate to which types of forest and landuse projects should be undertaken under the
umbrella of climate change mitigation and to
what extent these types of projects should be
integrated with mainstream carbon markets.
The following examples illustrate two contrasting types of projects that are part of this debate.
2. Examples
2.1. Plantar in Brazil
One example of this type of project that is
being promoted as potentially CDM eligible is
the Plantar project in Minas Gerais, Brazil. The
project consists of 23,100 hectares of eucalyptus plantations that are used to make charcoal
for pig iron production. Plantar plans to claim
CDM emissions reductions from both the
sequestration by the eucalyptus trees and from
the avoided use of coal. This project has
attracted numerous criticisms because of its
scale and manner of implementation. There
have been allegations that the local Geraiszeiro
inhabitants were forcibly evicted when the
plantations were rst established and that
run-off from the plantations has polluted local
water supplies affecting the livelihoods of local
farmers and sher folk. However, viewed
within the context of recent industrial history
24. Carbon Knowledge Projects
of Brazil, which has seen many factories move

from Minas Gerais to the Amazon region,
sourcing energy from trees cut from virgin rainforest, such efforts may not be wholly negative.
In a landscape context, the choice of trees and
their location would play a signicant role as
well to not only minimise social and ecological
impacts, but also seek to enhance the wider
benets.
2.2. Scolel T in Mexico

In contrast with the industrial plantation
approach of Plantar, the Scolel T project for
rural livelihoods and carbon management aims
to demonstrate how carbon nance can allow
low-income rural farmers to invest in forest
conservation, sustainable land-use systems, and
livelihood improvements that would otherwise
be inaccessible to them.
Operating since 1996, the project works in
over 25 communities, among seven different
indigenous Mayan and mestizo groups of
Chiapas and Oaxaca, Mexico (Fig. 24.1). The
project engages rural farmers in a fully participatory manner. All potential participants
attend a training workshop prior to making a
decision to enter into the project. Participants
Figure 24.1. Farmers in Chiapas,

Mexico, learning how to monitor
carbon stocks in above-ground
biomass (Photo Jessica Orrego).
173
then work with technical experts from the

project to design land use activities that will
suit their own needs and that are ecologically
viable.Technical specications are produced for
each land-use system, and these provide information about the area of land, tree species and
planting density, the intended management
regime, and local ecological conditions. From
this information a credible carbon sequestration estimate can be made. Subsequently, an
evidence-based monitoring protocol is used to
verify carbon stocks using easy-to-measure
indicators. Farmers engage in forestry activities,
including integrated community restoration of
forests, afforestation of degraded and fallow
land, and shade coffee. Carbon payments allow
participating farmers to invest in these land use
systems and also in other livelihood improvements such as livestock, cooking stoves, and re
and erosion prevention.
Since 1997 the project has attracted a variety
of carbon buyers, including the Fdration
Internationale de lAutomobile (FIA), which
committed to an ongoing purchase of approximately 20,000 tonnes of CO2 offsets per year to
compensate for greenhouse gas emissions
associated with the Formula 1 and World Rally
Championships and others.
174
J. Orrego
These purchases have been made through the

voluntary carbon market. Companies that wish
to offset their carbon emissions for corporate
social responsibility or good practice reasons
are more compelled by projects that have added
social and environmental co-benets associated. Indeed, there is a growing trend in the
private sector to take voluntary actions to offset
CO2 emissions, and projects that contribute to
both sustainable development and conservation
are the most appealing for this.
The Clean Development Market will also
provide an additional market for land-based
carbon credits, although the size of this market
during the rst commitment period (2008
2012) is uncertain, as sinks credits are not
permissible under the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme for this period. This does
not mean that individual countries will not be
enticed by sinks projects, especially those that
provide strong social and environmental benets. Furthermore, the World Banks BioCarbon
Fund will provide carbon nance for CDM-eligible projects that sequester carbon in forests
and other landscapes in developing countries.
However, it is likely that the bulk of the Kyoto
carbon market will focus on emissions trading
and energy projects, and less on sinks projects.
3. Outline of Tools
Carbon management can provide an excellent
vehicle for channelling funds into sustainable
development and forest conservation and
restoration activities while playing a key role in
mitigating climate change. Stringent standards
must be set for both compliant (e.g., Kyoto
protocol) and voluntary markets to weed out
projects with negative impacts, such as the
Plantar project described above. In addition to
providing socioeconomic and environmental
benets, projects must be promoted that can
demonstrate transparent and credible baseline
assessments and carbon verication systems.
Organisations such as Winrock International,
El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR), and
the Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Management
(ECCM) have made strides in developing
methods for determining regional baselines for
forest conservation carbon management. These

methods are promising; however, currently
there is no standard methodology that is used
across projects. Furthermore, carbon monitoring protocols and frequency can vary between
projects; therefore, standardisation of these
procedures across projects is necessary.
Several models exist for estimating carbon
sequestration potential. CO2Fix, for example,
offers a relatively easy-to-use method for estimating carbon sequestration (the model can be
downloaded for free on the Internet). Subsequent and ongoing monitoring and forest measurement to verify carbon estimates is necessary.
Remote sensing methods for estimating carbon
stocks are in place and are undergoing further
enhancements and validation via land-based
studies.
A consistent set of standards and procedures
is necessary to ensure the overall credibility of
carbon sequestration projects and the carbon
credits sold through them, whether in the
voluntary or compliant market. The Plan Vivo
system (www.planvivo.org) used in the Scolel
T project (mentioned above) and in similar
projects in Africa (Fig. 24.2) and India provides
a rigorous set of standards and procedures to
ensure a high level of community participation,
sustainable land use practices, and veriable
carbon credits. Plan Vivo projects are now
among the most credible and widely recognised
form of carbon offsets available in the voluntary sector.
The Climate, Community, and Biodiversity
(CCB) standards,220 resulting from a partnership among research institutions, corporations,
and environmental groups, are a rigorous set of
criteria that aim to combine climate, biodiversity, and sustainable-development benets.
The IPCC Good Practice Guidelines for
Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry
(LULUCF)221 provides useful guidance about
methods for estimating, measuring, and monitoring carbon stocks as well as a wealth of
default gures. If designed properly, such landbased carbon sequestration projects can benet
220
Climate, Community
(CCBA), 2004.
221
IPCC, 2003.
and
Biodiversity
Alliance
24. Carbon Knowledge Projects
175
Figure 24.2. Nursery workers in

Sofala, Mozambique, preparing
seedlings for carbon agroforestry
activities (Photo Jessica Orrego).
rural communities, slow destruction, and

increase the restoration of vital forest ecosystems, while contributing to a combination of
activities that will help slow increases in atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases.
sity Project design standards (Draft 1.0). CCBA,

Washington, DC: www.climate-standards.org.
IPCC. 2003. Good practice guidance for Land Use,
Land-Use Change and Forestry National Greenhouse Gas Inventories Programme Technical
Support Unit. Kanagawa, Japan. http://www.ipccggip.iges.or.jp/public/gpglulucf/gpglulucf.htm.
4. Future Needs
The greatest limiting factor in carbon projects
is the carbon market. As the carbon market is
developed and expanded, so too will small-scale
carbon management projects. As more carbon
nance is channelled into these projects, the
carbon models and baselines will be rened and
more sophisticated methods will be developed.
It is also important for accurate information to
replace speculation when it comes to the importance of the carbon market, as well as its real
value in mitigating climate change.
References
Climate, Community and Biodiversity Alliance
(CCBA). 2004. Climate, Community and Biodiver-
Additional Reading
Bass, S., Dubois, O., Moura-Costa, P., Pinard, M.,
Tipper, R., and Wilson, C. 2000. Rural livelihoods
and carbon management. IIED Natural Resource
Issue Paper No. 1. International Institute for
Environment and Development, London.
Landell-Mills, N., and Porras, I.T. 2002. Silver bullet
or fools gold? A global review of markets for
forest environmental services and their impact
on the poor. Instruments of Sustainable Private
Sector Forestry Series. IIED, London.
Smith, J., and Scherr, S.J. 2002. Forest Carbon and
Local Livelihoods: Assessment of Opportunities
and Policy Recommendations. Center for International Forestry Research, Jakarta, Indonesia.
WB Carbon prototype Fund. http://carbonnance.
org/pcf/Home_Main.cfm.
25
Marketing and Communications
Opportunities: How to Promote and
Market Forest Landscape Restoration
Soh Koon Chng
Good communication cuts through the clutter, it

doesnt add to it. It does this by getting the right
message, in the right medium, delivered by the right
messengers, to the right audience.
Now Hear This, Fenton Communications

Forest landscape restoration needs to be
clearly communicated and different target
audiences will require different channels and
media.
Communicating the issue can be planned to
respond quickly and strategically to news
items that emerge and where restoration can
create a positive message.
Marketing complex restoration programmes
is equally important and it is essential to
clearly understand what are the key triggers
that might make the chosen audience engage
in a forest landscape restoration programme.
1. Background and
Communications is about moving people from
awareness to action. If done well, it can help
achieve conservation goals. Communicating
about forest landscape restoration (FLR) can
be done either proactively/strategically or
opportunistically.
176
1.1. Communicating Forest

Because of its complexity, communicating
forest landscape restoration is challenging.
Messages should ideally cover the following:
What are we restoring?

Why restore?
Who is going to benet from the restoration?
How can the target audience help?
Messages have to be relevant to each target

audience. For example, for landowners in New
Caledonia who are not at all enthusiastic about
nature conservation, telling them that the island
has only 1 percent of dry forests left may not be
motivating or inspiring enough to make them
take any action to prevent its further decline.
What could grab their attention may be the
economic value of these foreststheir land
and therefore the need to return good quality
forest. Table 25.1. lists some examples of key
messages for various target audiences to whom
we may want to reach out to help us restore
forest landscapes. The messages are examples,
and a more targeted approach will be needed
for specic audiences.
1.2. Marketing
Marketing or the selling of projects to potential funders or donors requires good communications and research. Just as you need to
understand your target audience when communicating, so it is with marketing. You need to
25. Marketing and Communications Opportunities
177
Table 25.1. Different messages for different audiences.

Target audience
Governments
Technical experts
Development organisations
working locally
Conservation organisations
and programmes already
implementing FLR
Conservation organisations
and programmes not yet
involved in FLR
Possible key message

Current reforestation practices are costing a lot of money and not providing much
environmental or social benet. FLR achieves a balance between socioeconomic
and environmental benets. Let us show you how.
FLR is an approach that requires an integrated effort. Join us and be a part of an
initiative, working with others to share expertise and know-how.
FLR aims to restore forest goods and services for both people and nature. It takes an
integrated approach. Work with us in this initiative so that together we can meet
our collective goals.
Lets share lessons so we can help one another in implementing and advancing FLR
initiatives in our respective countries/areas.
Protection and management of forests are no longer enough in achieving forest
conservation in the face of increasing forest loss and degradation. We need also to
work on forest restoration. More and more forest conservation projects are
integrating a landscape-level forest restoration approach. Dont get left behind.
Jump on board.
FLR, forest landscape restoration.
know what makes the funders tick, what are

their pet interests, goals, history of giving, etc.
Such information is useful in helping us draw
up approaches that are appropriate to the
donor, and also in developing good funding
proposals. Remember, marketing is about creating a win-win situationmatching your
objectives and those of the donor. Proper background research is essential.
To nonpractitioners, landscape-scale forest
restoration may be a complex concept. Dont
pass on the complexity to potential donors.
Even if they are versed in the technicalities of
the concept, their supervisors may not be. Simplicity and speaking in the donors language are
important. It is also important to do in-depth
research to better know and understand the
donors and their priorities, in order to address
them. Above all, remember that you are talking
to people; even if they are working in government aid agencies or multinationals, they are
just like usthey have feelings and emotions
too.
So you got the funds.Well done! But the marketing jobs not over. Most businesses know it is
important to keep their customer base. Likewise, we need to keep our pool of donors. Never,
as we say, take the money and run! Donor
engagement throughout the project is all impor-
tant. Most donors appreciate being involved,

and it could be as simple as receiving regular
updates on how the project is progressing.
In many ways, donor engagement is like
making and keeping friends. So invite them
home: invite donors to see how the project is
progressing and to understand your challenges.
Its also more fun than just reading progress
reports, and they would certainly love seeing
how their funds are being spent. Like investors,
donors like seeing how their investments are
doing. Finally, dont forget to acknowledge and
thank the donor.
2. Examples
2.1. Responding to a CrisisThe
Big Storm of 1999
A third of Frances forests were damaged
when the country was hit by one of the biggest
storms ever in December 1999. Damage
was extensive, shocking foresters and the
public. The news made headlines and for the
rst time in Frances forest history, forest problems and the links between forest and society
were hotly debated by the media for at least
6 months.
178
S.K. Chng
During the weeks immediately following the

big catastrophe, WWF, the global conservation
organisation, surfed the wave, taking advantage of the media and public interest to reach
out to a broad audience, developing its arguments on the need for improving forest management and the problems and threats to
biodiversity. In the months that followed, WWF
communicated the need for renewing forestry
practices that take nature into account as well
as promoting ecological restoration. Television
publicity and print advertisement cajoled
people into making a wish for forest restoration. In late 2000 a press conference was called
to present WWF and other NGOs proposals for
improving forest management and restoration.
The rst anniversary of the storm was well
covered by the mainstream media. It was an
opportunity to repeat the messages while interest was still high. Subsequent anniversaries,
however, did not generate as much media interestthe topic became cold, covered only by
those journalists on the forest/environment
beats. In 2003, for example, there was little
media interest in a WWF-released study on the
implementation of forest restoration, including criticisms of the use of subsidies and bad
practices in the management of habitat of key
endangered species.
As a result of its communications efforts on
this issue, WWF was identied as a major actor
in forest management in Francesomething
that was not obvious before. It was successful
in setting up partnerships with companies to
implement restoration programmes.
WWF Frances Daniel Vallauri noted, An
important lesson learnt for us in communicating during the storm crisis was the need for
rapid response, coupled with a specic strategy
to communicate at least for the rst six months
after a big storm.
2.2. Prestige Oil SpillResponding

Rapidly
While this example is not about forest restoration, it shows how quick mobilisation of a
multidisciplinary team helped to deal efciently
and effectively with communications in the
aftermath of an environmental disaster.
In November 2002 one of the worst oil spills

in history occurred in Spains Galicia province.
It was the eighth marine environmental disaster in Galicia in the last three decades, and
involved a tanker called Prestige.
Immediately after receiving news of the
crisis, WWF Spain formed a multidisciplinary
crisis group, led by its CEO, to deal with the
issue. Within an hour it had alerted both the
national and international media. The group
designed and planned an integrated rapidresponse strategy covering conservation, policy,
and communication. It also developed action
plans for fund raising and a membership drive.
At the same time, there was strong coordination with WWF Internationals Communications Department and the Endangered Seas
Programme, and national ofces, on policy and
communication. A Web site was created to
provide daily updates from the eld, strengthen
WWFs demands on marine security, and attend
to international media queries.
A very rapid response, clear key messages,
rigorous and factual information, presence
on the ground, and coordination with the
WWF Network ensured that WWF was the
medias main reference point. This in turn
ensured that WWF was mentioned in almost
all media coverage with its calls for urgent action
by those concerned. Most importantly, the fast
and integrated response enabled WWF Spain to
obtain strong conservation results, including signicant policies on improving marine security
adopted by the European Union (EU).
As WWF Spain summed it up, it is unfortunate but true that An environmental crisis is a
great opportunity for an NGO in terms of communications and achieving policy goals. It
also has the following tips to share with ofces
that may have to embark on rapid response
communications:
Respond very rapidly.

Send clear, sound, and single messages.
Use strong visuals.
Use integrated strategy (conservation, communications, and fund raising).
Have a presence on the ground.
Provide scientic and factual information.
Use the WWF Network for expertise.
25. Marketing and Communications Opportunities
3. Outline of Tools
3.1. Communicating Proactively
Proactive communications means having a
concerted and long-term plan that supports the
restoration strategy. The plan involves knowing
the following:
Why we are communicating (the communications objective)In some cases communications may be for fund-raising purposes, in
others to mobilise public opinion, and yet in
others, to share knowledge.
Who we need to communicate with (the
target audience)These could be NGOs,
decision makers, students, farmers, etc.
Unfortunately, they are rarely a homogeneous group. The key to the communications
plan is in knowing your audience. Find out as
much as you can about them, particularly
what inspires and motivates them. Such
information is vital as it helps answer the
when and how questions and also in
crafting the appropriate messages.
What should we be saying to the target
audience (the message)It is important to
be clear when communicating. In some cases
there may be a clear message and call to
action (e.g., lobby for a change in policy) and
we can even measure success of that message.
In others, when disseminating knowledge or
experiences for instance, there is no explicit
call for action.
How to reach the target audience (the tools
or approach)Once the audience is identied (given that it is not always a single group
but often a mixture), it is necessary to identify the best tool to reach them (see the note
below about the Web, for example).
3.2. Opportunistic Communications

Opportunistic or rapid-response communication entails communicating in response to an
event, for example, a sudden policy change, or a
sudden natural event such as res or storms
damaging large forest areas. Because restoration is often considered as necessary once a
disaster strikes, and because all too often short-
179
term quick-x solutions are offered to satisfy

political and media needs, it is extremely important to be prepared with a suitable response that
presents a broader-based forest landscape
restoration approach as the solution (if indeed
it is the right one under the circumstances). In
most places, one can anticipate likely events, and
therefore it is possible to prepare a rapid
response package with the necessary recommendations for appropriate restoration and for
mitigating future damage. Rapid response communications can help in reinforcing messages on
forest landscape restoration and getting those
results that are hard or take twice as long to
achieve. Although opportunistic, this kind of
communications still requires some degree of
preparedness. In this regard, communications
materials such as background information,
including facts and gures and actions to be
taken when disaster strikes, are useful to have
ready.
For example, WWF has developed an information sheet with responses and recommendations on how to deal with storm damage in
Europe. This proved useful after the signicant
storms that swept across much of France in
1999, destroying large areas of forests. What is
important is that while this communications is
responsive in many cases, we can anticipate a
recurring natural disaster and therefore be
suitably prepared for it. While a standard
message or response may need some slight tailoring to the situation, the overarching message
can be more carefully crafted in advance. This
is particularly true of restoration, which is in
itself about responding to a crisis. Remember,
in an ideal world, restoration would not be
needed.
The case study above on the Prestige oil spill
provides an example that, while not related to
restoration, demonstrates how an effective
rapid response was organised.
New positive policy announcements also
present good opportunities for communicating
forest landscape restoration goals and objectives. For example, when former Indonesian
President Megawati announced in early 2004
her governments support to implement
restoration initiatives, this presented an opportunity to not only applaud the initiative but also
180
S.K. Chng
offer support and help in ensuring that past

errors are not repeated.
3.3. A Word About the Web

The explosion of Web sites makes it tempting
to jump onto the bandwagon. But be aware that
while nice to have, a Web site requires longterm investment in resources in maintenance as
well as marketing to draw in visitors. Also, a
Web site is not always the panacea for all communications. For example, in many countries,
target audiences will not have access to a computer. Another common error is the failure to
regularly update a Web site, which can quickly
become obsolete.
4. Future Needs
A number of rapid-response messages and
packages still need to be developed for anticipated crises. These are important because they
allow for quick dissemination of the importance of restoration, when the audience is
receptive. In some cases, such as for the linkage
between oods and tree cover, more research is
needed on the real linkages and cause-andeffect relationship in order to substantiate communications claims.
References
Now hear thisthe nine laws of successful advocacy
communications. http://www.fenton.com/. Concise
report by Fenton Communications detailing
their approach to advocacy communication
campaigns.
Part C
Implementing Forest Restoration
Section IX
Restoring Ecological Functions
26
Restoring Quality in Existing Native
Forest Landscapes
Nigel Dudley

In many countries the most pressing restoration need from a conservation perspective is
not for new forests but for higher quality in
existing forests.
Restoring ecological quality requires a
proper understanding of the components of
a natural forest: composition, pattern, functioning, process of renewal, resilience, and
continuity in time and space.
Approaches to restoring quality include
active management to restore missing microhabitats and steps to inuence both process
and the way in which the forest renews itself.
1. Background and
Forest management has changed the composition and ecology of the remaining forests in
many parts of the world. Intensive management
of native temperate forests in Europe, North
America, and parts of Asia has resulted in
forests that are species-poor, articially young,
lacking many of the expected microhabitats
and with radical changes to ecology and disturbance patterns. Logging in many tropical
forests has removed the largest trees, fragmented habitats through the construction of
logging roads and skid trails, and often opened
forests up to exploitation by settlers and poachers. Although these forests still exist, their
ability to support biodiversity or to supply
goods and services for local human communities may have been radically reduced. Or more
precisely, their structure has been altered to
supply one particular goodtimber products
at the expense of other goods and services.
Changing priorities mean that there is now
increasing interest in managing forests for biodiversity, environmental services, recreation,
and cultural and social benets, as well as for
timber production. In places where there are
large areas of intensively managed or loggedover forest, the primary focus of restoration
activities may well be on restoring forest quality
in existing stands of trees rather than extending
the area under trees; in effect, this usually
means returning the forest to a more natural
composition and ecology. Six major components are important in dening the naturalness
of a forest ecosystem:
1. The composition of tree species and other
forest-living plant and animal species, where
changes can include both loss of native species
and problems from the occurrence of nonnative
invasive species
2. The pattern of intraspecic variation, as
shown in trees by canopy and stand structure,
age-class, under-storey, with changes in managed forests commonly being toward younger,
more uniform forest stands
3. The ecological functioning of plant and
animal species in the forest as manifest in food
185
186
N. Dudley
webs, competition, symbiosis, parasitism, and

the presence of important microhabitats such
as dead wood and leaf litter
4. The process by which the forest changes
and regenerates itself over time, as demonstrated by disturbance patterns, forest succession, and the occurrence of periodic major
disturbances from storms, re, or heavy snowfall
5. The resilience of the forest in terms of
tree health, ecosystem health, and the ability
to withstand environmental stress, which is of
increasing importance during a period of rapid
climate change
6. The continuity of the forest particularly
with respect to total size, but also the existence
of natural forest edges (often lost in managed
habitats), connectivity of forest patches and the
impact of fragmentation222
Restoration of quality can sometimes be
achieved just by withdrawing management
or other pressures, allowing natural ecological functioning to reassert itself gradually.
However, in other cases, where, for instance,
species have been lost from a locality, or where
remaining pressures are undermining natural
disturbance patterns, more active restoration
efforts may be needed. Over the past two
decades, limited experience has built up in
restoration of forest quality, although there is
still a great deal to be learned.
2. Examples
Most of the experience in restoration of forest
quality currently exists in temperate and boreal
forests, as shown by the examples below,
although the importance of restoring forest
quality is also increasingly being recognised in
the tropics.
2.1. WalesRestoring a Native

Forest Composition by
Removing Invasive Species
The Ynyshir bird reserve on the Dy estuary
contains some of the oldest native oak wood222
Dudley, 1996.
land in Wales, within the core of a projected

UNESCO biosphere reserve. The wood is
variable-aged with a natural ecology but has
been substantially altered by invasive species,
mainly sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) and
rhododendron (Rhododendron ponticum). To
restore a natural composition, sycamore has
been progressively removed by ring-barking
mature trees and cutting out saplings. Rhododendron has been cut and burned during the
winter and stumps spot-painted with a shortlife herbicide to prevent regeneration (information from reserve staff).
2.2. SwedenRe-Creating Dead

Wood Microhabitats in
Managed Forest
Articial high stumps were created as potential
hosts for saproxylic (deadwood-living) beetles
in managed forests in Fagern, Uppland, and
stumps and logs were also left as substrates for
saprophytic fungi. The results showed that hundreds of beetle species, including many redlisted species, utilise high stumps, and two thirds
of them favour stumps in semi- or fully sunexposed conditions, showing that high stumps
in logging areas and other open sites are potentially very valuable tools for conservation of
saproxylic beetles. Cut wood, especially largediameter logs, also hosted numerous species
of saprophytic fungi. Thus, cut logs may support fungal diversity, both in managed forest
landscapes and in forest protected areas (see
Restoration of Deadwood as a Critical Microhabitat in Forest Landscapes).223
2.3. FinlandRestoring Natural

Fire Disturbance Patterns by
Prescribed Burning
Controlled burning is used to restore forests
where re suppression has resulted in the
decline of species that need re for germination
or to remove competitors. Finlands Natural
Heritage Services department uses prescribed
burning in protected areas, particularly in the
south of the country, and to date almost 4000
223
Lindhe, 2004.
26. Restoring Quality in Existing Native Forest Landscapes
hectares have been restored in this way.

Burning has to be carried out with extreme care
when weather conditions are suitable, that is,
when the forest is not too wet to burn but not
so dry as to create uncontrollable re.
2.4. SabahReconnecting
Forest Fragments
Forest along the banks of the Kinabatangan
River in the Malaysian state of Sabah, in
Borneo, creates an important corridor between
coastal mangrove and secondary forests in
the highlands. Much of the remaining lowland
forest has been converted into oil palm plantations. Substantial parts of the riparian corridor
are now protected but these areas have become
fragmented and oil palm reaches right to the
river bank in places, cutting migration corridors
for elephants and other species.The WWF Partners for Wetlands project has been liaising with
villagers to promote targeted tree planting to
reconnect the patches of remaining forest to
form a larger and ecologically coherent whole.
More importantly,WWF has been working with
oil palm companies to nd ways in which
selected areas can be returned to forest (personal observation and discussions with eld
staff).
2.5. LebanonBuilding Capacity

for Better Forest Management
and Restoration
The Al Shouf Cedar Reserve in Lebanon
covers 550 km2, around 5 percent of the country,
and contains around a quarter of Lebanons
remaining cedar (Cedrus libani) forest. The
core of the reserve is strictly protected and is in
mountainous territory of little economic value.
The Shouf Forest Resource Centre was opened
in 1998 to help improve forest quality particularly in the buffer zone of the park, through
management of forest biodiversity and silvopastoral systems, forest re prevention, production and commercialisation of nontimber
forest products, tree nurseries and eco-forestry
techniques, and environmental education
(information from WWF Mediterranean
Programme).
187
3. Outline of Tools
In many cases restoration of quality is best
served by simply giving a forest time to recover
its natural dynamic, although some additional
help may be required to achieve this as the previous examples show.
Assessment: The rst step in restoring quality
of forests is to determine what is missing.
Many different denitions of naturalness
exist at a site level, although most of these
do not identify the different components
involved (see Identifying and Using Reference Landscapes for Restoration). A simple
site-level scorecard (Table 26.1) for assessing
levels of authenticity in forest ecosystems224
can be used to provide a quick reference
to elements of authenticity that are either
present or absent as an aid to planning
restoration programmes.
Inuencing rate of change: Most aspects
of quality restoration can be achieved by
removing the pressures that are currently
reducing quality, such as overgrazing,
changes in re regime (either unnaturally
high or low incidence of re), poaching, and
overcollection. The simplest and cheapest
tools available are agreements with stakeholders, for example, ensuring that shepherds
keep sheep or goat ocks away from certain
forests or reducing nontimber forest product
collection. More expensive options include
fencing against grazing animals, antipoaching
patrols, and re watching.
Active management to restore natural
dynamics: Where particular natural elements
are missing from the forest ecosystem, or
unnatural elements (e.g., invasive species)
are present, more active intervention may be
required. Many invasive species only become
established when there are gaps in the canopy so that removal for a period can lead to
their virtual elimination, in other cases more
long-term control strategies may be needed
(particularly in the cases of invasive animals).
Re-creation of missing microhabitats, such as
dead wood (see Restoration of Deadwood
224
Dudley et al, in press.
188
N. Dudley
Table 26.1. Data card for stand-level assessment of forest authenticity (Dudley et al, in press).
Indicator
Elements
Assessors should ll in as much of the table as possible. Space is left for further observations
Composition
How natural is composition of tree species?
Fully
Partly
How natural is composition of other species?
Fully
Partly
Are signicant alien species present?
Yes
Is the ecosystem functioning naturally?
Yes
Notes on composition:
Pattern
Exotic
Exotic
No
No
What is the tree age distribution?

Is the canopy natural or articial?
Is the forest mosaic natural or articial?
Notes on pattern:
Mixedold
Mixedyoung
Mono
Natural
Articial
Natural
Articial
Functioning
Yes
Yes
Stable
Are viable populations of most species present?

Does a natural food web exist?
What are the soil characteristics?
What are hydrological characteristics?

What is the age of the forest?
What is the period of continual forest cover?
Notes on functioning:
Healthy
Old growth
No
No
Seriously
eroding
Problems
Mature
Process
Yes
Yes
Snags
No
No
Down logs
Natural
Yes
Yes
Articial
No
No
Good
Yes
Average
No
Poor
High
Medium
Low
Does a natural disturbance regime exist?

Does an unnatural disturbance regime exist?
Is a signicant amount of deadwood present?
Notes on process:
Size (in hectares):
Age (approximate length of continuous forest cover)
Are the forest edges natural or articial?
Is the forest connected to other similar habitat?
Is the forest fragmented?
Notes on continuity:
Young
Continuity
Resilience
What is the tree health?

Are there important introduced pests, diseases, and
invasive species?
What are the pollution levels?
Notes on resilience:
as a Critical Microhabitat), riparian forest

strips, or particular species, may also be necessary in cases where there is either some
urgency or where these are unlikely to reappear naturally.
Inuencing disturbance patterns: Various
techniques for reintroducing or mimicking
natural disturbance patterns exist or are
being developed. Most aim to manage
disturbance mainly by controlling it so that
it inuences smaller areas (for example,
because the forest is already fragmented or
because land tenure agreements mean that
only limited areas can be disturbed). Tech-
niques such as prescribed burning, articial

creation of standing deadwood, and mimicking storm damage are all now available.
4. Future Needs
Much more information is needed about the
ability of different forest ecosystems to recover
quality over time and particularly about the
likely speed of recovery; this information is
important in making decisions about whether
or not to undertake more active (and expensive) forms of restoration. Methods for control
26. Restoring Quality in Existing Native Forest Landscapes
of invasive species are in some cases still also

poorly developed as is management of articial
disturbance. Codes of practice and perhaps
principles for articial disturbance remain to be
developed.
References
Dudley, N. 1996. Authenticity as a means of measuring forest quality. Biodiversity Letters 3:69.
189
Dudley, N., Schlaepfer, R., Jeanrenaud, J.-P., and

Jackson, W.J. In press. Manual on Forest Quality.
Lindhe, A. 2004. Conservation Through Management. Doctoral dissertation, Department of
Entomology, Swedish University of Agricultural
Sciences (SLU). Acta Universitatis Agriculturae
Suecia, Silvestria, vol. 300.
Case Study: Restoring a Natural

Wetland and Woodland Landscape
from a Spruce Plantation in
Wales, UK
Nigel Dudley and Martin Ashby
The Challenge
Sixteen hectares of salt marsh on the Dy
Estuary in Wales had been planted with a
dense stand of Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis),
a North American conifer. The estuary is a
Ramsar Site (i.e., listed as an area of outstanding wetland) and UNESCO Man and the
Biosphere reserve, and the plantation adjoins
a strictly protected area. Most natural vegetation had been shaded out and the peat underneath the canopy supported few plant species
except for ushes of fungi in the autumn.
Several plants (e.g., the heathers Erica spp.)
appeared after the spruce was removed,
having presumably been dormant in the peat.
The natural water table had also been altered
as a result of constructing an embankment for
the railway and through subsequent drainage,
and the soil layer disturbed by deep ploughing when the plantation was established.
The Opportunity
Sell-off of a proportion of state forest land
meant that the area was available for purchase. As the plantation never produced a
commercially viable crop, the sale price was
xed only slightly higher than the value of
standing timber, creating the chance of a
cheap net land purchase. The plantation was
bought by a private individual, who has leased
190
this to the local wildlife trust as a nature

reserve. Agreeing the purchase involved
lengthy negotiation because under United
Kingdom law any trees that are felled must be
replaced, whereas the conservation opportunity here was not to replace but instead to
see what emerged through natural regeneration (with an assumption that a proportion of
the area would be naturally treeless). There
was considerable uncertainty about how the
site would regenerate, although support from
the Countryside Council for Wales eventually
helped to encourage a change of policy
to allow natural regeneration rather than
replanting.
Interventions
The spruce trees were felled and cleared,
along with most remaining brash (branches,
etc). Early ideas of replacing ploughed soil
were abandoned because of the scale and
costs of the operation. Some drainage ditches
were blocked on an experimental basis, raising
the water table and in addition, with National
Heritage Lottery funding, several new ponds
were dug. Subsequently, a boardwalk circuit
has been established for visitors, which is
being upgraded to allow wheelchair access to
part of the protected area, and a simple bird
hide is being constructed from living willow at
the edge of one of the new ponds.
Case Study: Restoring a Natural Wetland and Woodland Landscape
Results
The area has changed, over 6 years, from a
place almost devoid of natural life to a rich
woodland and fen habitat, with emerging
birch (Betula pendula) and willow (Salix
species) in places, along with large areas of
wetland plants including stands of reedmace
(Typha latifolia). Up to three nesting pairs
of the nationally endangered nightjar
(Caprimulgus europaeus) have successfully
raised young and other wetland birds such
as the common snipe (Gallinago gallinago),
sedge warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus),
and grasshopper warbler (Locustella naevia)
have bred, and the area has become a hunting
ground for the rare barn owl (Tyto alba) and
for otters (Lutra lutra). It is hoped that a
locally rare moth, the rosy marsh moth, might
reestablish, and a survey is planned.
Future Issues
Under natural circumstances, the area would
be mainly salt marsh with some freshwater
inow and emergent trees. Much of the challenge, therefore, has been to replace a habitat
of nonnative trees with a smaller mosaic of
native species. This habitat has almost disap-
191
peared in parts of the U.K. and is therefore

a particular focus for restoration. As yet it
remains uncertain as to whether the increasing water level will serve to restrict colonisation by birch and willow or whether the
reserve manager will have to arrange periodic
clearance to maintain the forest mosaic that
would exist under completely natural circumstances. The extent to which Sitka spruce will
regenerate is not clear, although some clearance may be needed, ideally before young
trees become mature enough to reproduce
themselves. Grazing would help keep scrub
regeneration under control and leave open
areas for nightjars, although it may prove difcult to nd native species able to live successfully in the wet conditions of the site.
Lessons Learned
Despite the warnings about the irreversibility
of changes associated with plantation establishment, reversal has been rapid and so far
highly successful. The fact that the soil humus
layer was badly damaged by ploughing has
apparently made little difference to recovery:
it makes access more difcult for people, but
paradoxically this may be an advantage in a
nature reserve.
27
Restoring Soil and Ecosystem
Processes
Lawrence R. Walker

Ecosystem processes, especially those directing successions, are the working parts of a
successfully restored habitat.
Below-ground processes are the rst key to
many harshly degraded situations restorationists have to face, and thus require specic
attention.
Reestablishment of biodiversity implies a
fully functioning ecosystem.
1. Background and
It is necessary to link human restoration efforts
with the reestablishment of ecosystem processes in order to maximise biodiversity and
ecosystem services (e.g., clean water, stable
soils) while minimising additional human
inputs. Simply planting local vegetation and
adding agricultural levels of fertiliser is not
necessarily sufcient. Restoration activities
focussed solely on maximising substrate stability or primary productivity frequently result in
arrested succession and require further effort
to encourage successional change. Critical ecosystem processes are the working parts of a
successfully restored habitat.225 Without them,
restoration is incomplete.
225
Ehrenfeld and Toth, 1997.
192
An ecosystem is dened as a series of interactions among a particular set of organisms and

between those organisms and their physical
environment. Restoration addresses inputs,
outputs, and internal dynamics of the ow of
energy and matter. Typical measures of inputs
include sunlight, water, nutrients, and organisms. Typical outputs include water, eroded soil,
and organisms. Internal uxes include nutrient
cycling, primary productivity, and decomposition. Additional ecosystem processes concern
the interaction of the biota to disturbance
(resistance, resilience, succession, invasion) and
the development of structure and biodiversity.
Successful restoration complements the natural
recovery process of succession, following
removal of constraints such as unstable, toxic,
or infertile substrates or the lack of adequate
soils. Successful restoration also allows succession to proceed and leaves an ecosystem both
resistant and resilient to disturbance. Because
we are able to predict successional trajectories
only in the broadest sense (of functional
groups, biomass, and nutrient accumulation),
restoration that incorporates successional
dynamics is often experimental. At best, unsuccessful restoration efforts help elucidate successional principles, as successional theories, in
turn, guide restoration.226
226
27. Restoring Soil and Ecosystem Processes
193
Figure 27.1. Extreme soil erosion

(left) in Iceland can be slowed by
fencing to exclude sheep and horses
(right) (Photo Lawrence R.Walker.)
2. Examples
2.1. Substrate Stability in Iceland
Erosion is a major disturbance on over 40
percent of the terrestrial surface of the earth.
Site stabilisation is essential for restoration, but
care must be taken in how it is done. Iceland
has the temperate worlds worst soil erosion
due to 1000 years of overgrazing of sensitive
soils (Fig. 27.1). It used to have 2- to 3-m-tall
birch forests (Betula pubescens), and Icelanders
want them back (Fig. 27.2). The use of native
ground cover to stabilise the erosive forces of
wind, water, and ice heaving, combined with
fences to keep out sheep and horses, leads
(after about 50 years) to the return of native
forests.227 No success has been achieved by
planting native trees without rst stabilising the
surface or without fencing (Fig. 27.3).
2.2. Substrate Stability in

Puerto Rico
Reforestation of landslides in Puerto Rico
requires slope stabilisation, best provided by
native climbing fern (Gleichenia bida, Dicranopteris pectinata) thickets that then delay
forest growth for several decades.228 Direct tree
planting is rarely successful on erosive surfaces,
even with fertiliser or organic soil amendments,
227
228
Aradottir and Eysteinsson, 2004.

Walker et al, 1996.
Figure 27.2. A 45-year-old Betula pubescens forest

in Iceland, restored by protecting it from grazing by
sheep and horses. (Photo Lawrence R. Walker.)
due to continued erosion in this high rainfall

habitat. Gabions, mats, and other human efforts
to stabilise the slopes rarely function as well as
the ferns that have extensive below-ground
194
L.R. Walker
Figure 27.3. A rofabard, or erosion
remnant in Iceland where severe soil
losses have removed several metres
of soil, leaving only gravel barrens.
(Photo Lawrence R. Walker.)
rhizomes and add copious above-ground litter.

Even though they take longer, natural successional processes thus appear to be most robust
in achieving restoration goals.
2.3. Substrate Fertility: Iceland and

Alaska
Adding fertiliser does not immediately establish
critical nutrient cycles, and too much fertiliser
may result in dominance by densely growing
grasses or herbs that inhibit tree establishment
through competition for nitrogen, phosphorus,
water, or light. Appropriate levels of fertiliser,
combined with species that are short-lived or
grow less densely, can act as nurse plants for
seedlings of later successional plants and facilitate succession. Legumes introduced to increase
soil nitrogen may benet tree growth if their
densities are kept low. Attempts to accelerate
reforestation in Iceland with commercial fertilisers or by planting tree seedlings into stands
of the nonnative, nitrogen-xing lupine (Lupinus
nootkatensis) have shown some promise for
nonnative trees such as Sitka spruce (Picea
sitchensis). However, overfertilisation or overreliance on lupine may lead to dominance by
nonnative herbs or conifers in some parts of
Iceland. Fertilisation of nonnative grasses on the
Alaska pipeline corridor delayed recolonisation
of native tundra species by several decades.
Low-fertility sites where competition is reduced
and where all key species are introduced initially
have the greatest chance of restoration success.229
229
2.4. Amelioration of Toxic

Conditions in Mines in
South Africa
Reforestation often involves addressing toxic
site conditions. Landlls can have toxic liquids
and gases; mine tailings can have extreme pH
values or toxic levels of metals in addition
to surface compaction or erosion problems.
Reforestation of dunes mined for various ores
in South Africa involved topsoil replacement,
windbreaks, and sowing of various grasses that
provided a nurse crop for slower-germinating
native Acacia karoo trees from the seedbank.
The acacia trees, in turn, promoted soil development through nitrogen xation and were
gradually replaced by larger native trees. In this
case, normal successional processes replaced
early intensive manipulations.230 However, it is
often difcult to restore some semblance of
predisturbance vegetation due to alterations in
drainage, fertility, and even topography. Forests
may remain stunted if they do colonise toxic
sites, and reclamation goals are often more
modest than in less toxic situations.
3. Outline of Tools
Stabilising soil substrate: Substrate stability is
essential before restoration can proceed. For
example, the following actions treat successively more serious erosion conditions on
230
Cooke, 1999.
27. Restoring Soil and Ecosystem Processes
Puerto Rican landslides: mulch, fertiliser,

transplants, silt fences, contouring, jute
cloth covers, rock-lled gabions, redirecting
water ow, and lining alternative drainage
channels.
Adding organic matter: Soil processes are key
to successful restoration. Beginning with
severely disturbed substrates, organic matter
additions are the fastest way to incorporate
critical soil microbes. Earthworm additions,
inoculations of mycorrhizae, and additions of
limiting nutrients (with the caveats noted
above) all potentially accelerate soil development and facilitate woody plant invasions
or plantings, especially in severely disturbed
habitats. However, mycorrhizae can act as
parasites when nutrient limitations are
severe. Minimal additions of topsoil or other
sources of nutrients and soil biota can reduce
the risk of overfertilisation and dominance
by early successional species that preclude
tree establishment. Additions of nitrogenxing plants can often benet (but see Substrate Fertility, above).
Reducing soil nutrients: Restoration can also
involve reducing soil nutrients (via carbonrich straw, sawdust, or sugar, or additions of
lignin-rich plant litter that immobilise nutrients) if the goal is a naturally infertile site.
For example, native ohia (Metrosideros polymorpha) forests in Hawaii are out-competed
by the introduced nitrogen xing tree Myrica
faya. In fact, the whole successional pathway
on volcanic surfaces is altered to favour
plants adapted to higher nutrients, particularly nitrogen.231 Restoration of native
Hawaiian communities and successional
processes will most likely require nutrientreduction treatments.
Reducing toxic conditions: Toxic conditions can
be ameliorated by bioremediation, or the use
of plants, mycorrhizae, and microbes. Once
toxins are reduced, restoration of native communities can begin. Additions of topsoil from
late successional communities, sometimes
combined with sludge, composted yard
wastes, or other concentrated organic matter
source, often accelerate succession. Arrested
succession can be avoided by dense plantings
231
Vitousek and Walker, 1989.
195
of native species, particularly ones that

attract vertebrate dispersers.
Biodiversity is a key goal to restoration, and
its reestablishment implies a fully functioning
ecosystem. If a diverse biological community
resembling the reference ecosystem is selfsustaining, then landscape and successional
dynamics have likely been incorporated. In
addition, adequate substrate stability, drainage,
depth, and fertility have been achieved. However, restoration generally requires ongoing
monitoring and strategic alterations.
4. Future Needs
We need to better understand the role that individual species have in the restoration of ecosystem processes. We have tended to focus on
nitrogen xers used in agricultural settings and
neglected vascular species that concentrate
nitrogen and phosphorus from infertile soils.
We have also neglected the nature and specicity of plant mycorrhizal associations and
their role in restoration. Species that have
similar functional attributes (x nitrogen, grow
early and fast in succession, host key pollinators
or dispersers, have deep roots that break
through compacted soils, etc.) may offer
insights into better approaches to restoration.
Similarly, keystone species (ones with ecosystem and community impacts disproportional to
their biomass) could be important to restoration efforts.
Invasive species are becoming ubiquitous
and restorationists need to address the impact
of such species on ecosystem processes. Do they
alter nutrient dynamics, soil stability, soil salinity, re frequency, or primary productivity? If
so, restoration efforts must not ignore these
new inuences.
Restoration is essentially the manipulation of
succession, yet we understand little about how
ecosystem processes vary through succession.
Temporal replacement of vascular plant species
reects and inuences a complex of ecosystem
processes, including, generally, a reduction in
light availability and an increase in nutrient
availability. How can restorationists maximise
their manipulations of these trends to favour
196
L.R. Walker
desirable outcomes? Finally, much emphasis is

placed on above-ground and visually obvious
criteria for measuring restoration success.
When below-ground processes are ignored or
only treated in a crude way (through fertilisation or stabilisation, for example), restoration
suffers. The interplay of soil organisms with soil
stability, fertility, and/or toxicity and with
animals and vascular plants is perhaps the ultimate key to successful restoration.232
References
Aradottir, A.L., and Eysteinsson, T. 2004. Restoration of birch woodlands in Iceland. In: Stanturf, J.,
and Madsen, P., eds. Restoration of Boreal and
Temperate Forests, pp. 195209. CRC/Lewis Press,
Boca Raton, Florida.
Cooke, J.A. 1999. Mining. In: Walker, L.R., ed.
Ecosystems of Disturbed Ground, vol. 16, Ecosystems of the World, pp. 365384 Elsevier,
Amsterdam.
Ehrenfeld, J.G., and Toth, L.A. 1997. Restoration
ecology and the ecosystem perspective. Restoration Ecology 5:307317.
232
Wardle, 2002.
Vitousek, P.M., and Walker, L.R. 1989. Biological

invasion by Myrica faya in Hawaii: plant demography, nitrogen xation and ecosystem effects.
Ecological Monographs 59:247265.
Walker, L.R., Zarin, D.J., Fetcher, N., Myster, R.W.,
and Johnson, A.H. 1996. Ecosystem development
and plant succession on landslides in the
Caribbean. Biotropica 28:566576.
Wardle, D.A. 2002. Communities and Ecosystems:
Linking the Aboveground and Belowground Components. Princeton University Press, Princeton,
New Jersey.
Additional References
Palmer, M.A., Ambrose, R.F., and Poff, N.L. 1997.
Ecological theory and community restoration
ecology. Restoration Ecology 5:291300.
Temperton, V.M., Hobbs, R.J., Nuttle, T., and Halle,
S., eds. 2004. Assembly Rules and Restoration
Ecology: Bridging the Gap Between Theory and
Practice. Island Press, Washington, DC.
Walker, L.R., and Smith, S.D. 1997. Impacts of invasive plants on community and ecosystem properties. In: Luken, J.O., and Thieret, J.W., eds.
Assessment and Management of Plant Invasions,
pp. 6986. Springer, New York.
28
Active Restoration of Boreal Forest
Habitats for Target Species
Harri Karjalainen

The last natural habitats still hosting original
species composition are often small fragments, and successful conservation of these
often requires the re-creation of new, larger,
and better connected forest habitats.
Target species are the objective of restoration efforts for two reasons: either because
the particular species has declined for a
specic reason and therefore needs special
attention, or because the target is used as an
indicator of a wider biodiversity grouping
that has also declined.
Target species (in particular endangered
species) are often useful in assessing the
results of certain restoration activities in the
ecosystem.
1. Background and
Loss of original forest cover to other land uses,
increased degradation of remaining forests, and
decreasing areas of authentic forest habitats
have had a deep impact on biodiversity in many
forest vegetation zones. Authentic forest habitats have become fragmented, and distances
between suitable habitats hindered the spreading of specialised species. Indeed, small fragments of authentic forest habitats cannot
maintain viable populations of many forest

specialists.
Loss of authentic forest habitats below critical thresholds has resulted in a decline of many
original forest species. In Europe the number of
threatened taxa is alarmingly high: among
mammals, typically 20 to 50 percent, and among
birds 15 to 40 percent, of the forest dwelling
species are categorised as threatened according
to IUCNs red-data book classication. The situation is almost as bad even for lichens, mosses,
and vascular plants.233
The last natural habitats still hosting original
species composition are often small fragments
situated inside protected areas, or located
within larger, degraded forests. Successful conservation of habitats of endangered species in
these forest landscapes requires the re-creation
of new, larger, and better connected forest habitats by the means of ecological forest restoration. Active ecological forest restoration is
urgently required when natural forest recovery
is too slow, or it is uncertain whether natural
forest recovery could maintain or improve critical habitat qualities for the target species.234
At site levels, one short-term objective of
ecological forest restoration is to enhance the
populations of certain target species.
Target species fall into a number of
categories:
Species that are chosen as a focus of attention because they are representative of many
233
234
Karjalainen et al, 2001.

Rassi et al, 2003.
197
198
H. Karjalainen
other species within the ecosystem, and

therefore their recovery signals that other
species are likely to be recovering. Such
species may also be called umbrella species, which means these species habitat
requirements are relatively wide (comprehensive) and hence conservation of umbrella
species may protect many other important
species with similar or less demanding
habitat requirements.
Species that inuence signicantly the viability of other species populations, or play a key
role for ecosystem functionality or structure.
These are known as keystone species.
Species that are of particular importance
within a conservation plan because they are,
for example, endangered, endemic, culturally
important, economically valuable, etc.
Species that act as surrogates for certain
habitat and/or landscape qualities that are
considered important for maintaining
biodiversity.
In the long term, ecological forest restoration
objectives are to create self-sustaining forest
landscapes, where natural succession dynamics
prevail and forests form natural mosaics that
are able to maintain viable populations of all
naturally occurring species.
1.1. Importance of Restoration for

Target Species
Target species are the objective of restoration
efforts for two reasons: either because the
particular species has declined for a specic
reason and therefore needs special attention,
or because the target is used as an indicator of
a wider biodiversity grouping that has also
declined.
In the second case, recovery of the target
implies also recovery of other species. This is
more often claimed than substantiated: target
species are often relatively large, charismatic
species and therefore also relatively adaptable.
For instance, the recovery of a woodpecker
species implies that the volume of its prey
species have also recovered (probably due to
deadwood retention) but not necessarily the
diversity of its prey: it may be feeding on large

numbers of a small group of saproxylic beetles.
So while target species are politically and practically useful in helping to stimulate restoration
activity, they need to be treated with caution if
they are also to be used as a surrogate for a
whole cross section of biodiversity. This may
imply, for instance, broader monitoring to check
the wider implications of target recovery (refer
to the Section Monitoring and Evaluation).
Ideally, all restoration activities shall be
based on in-depth knowledge of the structure
and function of the forest ecosystem and target
species in question.
1.2. Where to Start Restoration for

Target Species
Target species populations may have
decreased, but may still be surviving in a
degraded forest area. Priority should be set for
the restoration of the habitats of the target
species, as well as for the enhancement of the
viability of the target population. Even those
species surviving for now in forest fragments
may not be viable in the longer term, and hence
there is urgency for restoration. This argument
provides another reason for intervention rather
than relying on natural processes.
In the case where target species have become
extinct to the region, it is necessary to know
habitat requirements of the target species and
possibilities for colonisation: species capacity
to disperse, location of the source population,
distance to the restored habitats, and in the case
of plants, the existence of the seed bank.
1.3. Target Species as Indicators of

Successful Restoration
Target species (in particular endangered
species) often play an important role in assessing the results of certain restoration activities in
the ecosystem. The achievements may be measured structurally (e.g., by the abundance or
number of target species or species composition) or functionally (e.g., interaction of species,
trophic structure, side effects).235 However, the
235
Palmer et al, 1997.
28. Active Restoration of Boreal Forest Habitats for Target Species
presence of certain target species does not necessarily mean that restoration activities have
been successful. From the population biology
viewpoint, only populations that are capable
to reproduce, grow, disperse, and develop can
be viable in the long term. This implies that
successful restoration of target populations
requires they become functionally connected
with regional metapopulations in the long
term.236
If restored target species populations are too
small, there is a risk for too narrow genetic variation that may become a limiting factor for successful restoration.237 Narrow genetic variation
may cause, for example, lower evolutionary
adaptability and lower genetic population size.
Small populations are also more vulnerable to
sporadic factors.
2. Examples
2.1. Restoring Habitats for Species
Requiring Deadwood
Old, dying, and decaying trees are important
element in natural forests, providing habitats
for numerous specialised species. For example,
scientists estimate 20 to 25 percent (or some
4000 to 5000 species) of all forest-dwelling
species are dependent on deadwood in Finnish
boreal forests.238 Forestry practises have made
forests tidier and the amount of deadwood has
fallen to critically low levels, resulting in a high
numbers of those species relying on deadwood
becoming endangered.
Therefore, one of the most common goals
of ecological forest restoration is to re-create
a proper environment for the species using
decaying wood. Typical species are different
beetle species and saprophytic biota, both of
which are good indicators of the general deadwood conditions in the forests for other species
groups. Dead and dying wood can be created by
damaging and felling trees and by triggering
and starting the succession dynamics with
236
237
238
Montalvo et al, 1997.

Montalvo et al, 1997.
Siitonen et al, 2001.
199
self-thinning and natural disturbance. The key

factor in restoration is to evaluate the restoration validity of the site compared to the
naturalness of the forest structure, species
immigration, probability, and possibility of
species recovery.
New research in boreal forests in Finland
suggests that at least 20 m3 of deadwood per
hectare on stand-level would probably meet,
and at least 50 m3/hectare would give a high
probability to meet the ecological minimum
requirements of many endangered forest
species specialised in deadwood.239 However,
the quality of the deadwood is essential and it
is important to offer deadwood that varies in
quality to suit different specialised species.
There should be a whole variety of natural tree
species, as well as a variety of different decomposition classes (see also Restoration of Deadwood as a Critical Microhabitat in Forest
Landscapes).
2.2. Forest Fires Specialist Species

Many endangered specialist species are highly
dependent on forest res and burned wood.
These species typically populate the burned
area immediately after the re, and revert some
5 years after the re. Some endangered redependent beetle species utilise certain fungi
species, which only occur in recently burned
wood. Most of the re-dependent specialist
species are capable of spreading long distances,
which is necessary because forest res have
occurred randomly in the forest landscape.
These species often have certain physiological
and morphological adaptations, such as
infrared sensors, which helps species to nd
suitable habitats from a distance.
Other groups of species are not as closely
linked to res, but clearly favour them. These
species are typically the same that occur in
other large-scale natural disturbances such as
large-scale wind falls, ooded forests or even
clear-felled forests. These species populate
forest re areas typically 5 to 25 years after the
actual re.
239
Penttil et al, 2004; Siitonen et al, 2001.
200
H. Karjalainen
2.3. Restoring Habitats for Forest

Bird Species
Many declining bird species are dependent on
deadwood, and forest restoration activities may
rapidly create new suitable habitats that these
species can populate. For example in Finland it
has been observed that the critically endangered white-backed woodpecker (Dendrocopos leucotos) utilises articially created snags
and deadwood as a source of insect nutriment.
Dendrocopos minor and Picoides tridactylus
have also beneted from an increase in deadwood availability in restored forest areas. It also
appears that the higher numbers of nest holes
created by woodpeckers also benet other
hole-nesting species that have declined due to
critically low amounts of natural nest holes
available in intensively managed commercial
forests.
3. Outline of Tools
3.1. Planning of the Target
Species Restoration
Ecological forest restoration should be planned
carefully at different levels.The rst level should
be ecoregional or country-based strategies
where objectives for target species or species
groups are dened by major forest types. Such a
plan should take into account the current occurrence of target species populations, and present
a strategy on how target species may colonise
existing habitats, and how they may migrate into
new, restored forest habitats.
All restoration activities should be based on
the precautionary principle. Activities should
include careful planning by ecological experts
in the species groups in question. If there is
insufcient knowledge of the target species
ecology, it is advisable to leave the habitat to
restore through natural succession, although
even natural succession may in some cases require active management (e.g., fencing against
livestock, changes in management interventions, etc.).
Restoration activities targeted at endangered
species should be directed so that populations
and local occurrences shall be maintained longterm in the ecoregion or country. Actual
restoration activities shall be located in the
vicinity of known and demarcated habitats of
endangered species, not in the actual habitat of
the target species.240 The aim of these activities
is to restore neighbouring low-quality forests
and in that way re-create new potential habitat
for the species. Results of scientic studies, simulations, and mathematical models241 support
the theory that restoration activities are most
effective when located in the vicinity of existing source populations of target species.
In terms of landscape-level planning, restoration should aim rst to maintain target species
populations (endangered species) and abundance of crucial forest habitats. Restoration
activities should be concentrated to re-create
larger, unied ecological core units. Landscapelevel restoration plans should aim to re-create
forests that provide sufcient variety of all
natural habitats in terms of quality and
quantity.
Forest stand-level restoration activities
should aim at strengthening the existing core
area by re-creation of buffer zones, ecological
connections, and minimising fragmentation.
Restoration should be planned so that forest
areas will become naturally connected to other
ecosystems such as watercourses, open mires,
or mountain areas. At its best, restored forest
ecosystems form large, united ecologically selfsustaining units and cover natural drainage
basins.
In certain extreme cases, target species
(endangered species) could be transferred into
restored forests that meet species critical
habitat requirements. There is, however, quite
limited experience and scientic research on
species transfers. In Finland species transfers
have yielded both negative and positive results.
For example, the endangered buttery
Pseudophilotes baton was transferred into its
former restored forest habitat in southern
Finland, but the buttery population withered
away. On the other hand, some endangered vas240
Rassi et al, 2003.

Hanski, 2000; Huxel and Hastings, 1999; Tilman et al,
1997.
241
28. Active Restoration of Boreal Forest Habitats for Target Species
cular plants (Primula stricta, Pilosella peleteriana, Moehringia lateriora, Elymus mutabilis)
have been successfully transferred into a test
area, and there are plans to transfer species into
nature, on restored river banks.
3.2. Stand-Level Restoration

Methods
The type of ecological restoration aimed at specic plant and animal species tends to be aimed
at changing certain elements of the forest (reintroducing microhabitats, changing successional
stages, etc.) rather than at the whole forest
ecosystem, at least in the rst instance. More
information on stand-level restoration methods
can be found in Section XI. The ultimate aim of
restoration for a target species is the immigration of lost species and populations back to
previously suitable, though today only potential, sites. The objectives set for the restoration
of target species determine the methods to be
used. Usually there are several alternative
methods that can be used, and some examples
that have been used in the restoration of boreal
forests are described below.
3.2.1. Restoring Homogeneous

Monocultures
Typical planted forest may consist of tree
species native to the site, but the spacing is
not natural (trees are planted in rows), age
structure is unnatural (even-aged, one canopy
layer), and the forest is lacking the mixture of
other natural tree species (planted for one
species, and thinnings eliminated other tree
species).
By felling tree groups, small openings can be
created inside the homogeneous stands. Openings mimic natural small gap dynamics, for
example created naturally by wind falls. Trees
felled form deadwood, whilst open areas regenerate naturally (or by planting) to native pioneering tree species.242
242
Tukia et al, 2001.
201
3.2.2. Mimicking Natural Forest Fires

Forest res have been an important ecological
disturbance factor in many forest types, and
many species have become endangered due to
the elimination of natural forest res. Mimicking forest res is therefore often a key restoration activity. Since many re-specialised species
can only live some years in the burned forest, it
is recommended that burning will be repeated
in the region two to three times per decade.
Forest res should be planned and controlled
so that re does not spread to other areas important for conservation, such as re refugias or
old-growth forests. Recommended size for the
burning is 3 to 10 hectares, designed by using
natural barriers such as wet open mires, lakes,
and rivers. In the absence of natural barriers,
unwanted spreading of re must be eliminated
by open channels where all forest and top soil
shall be cleared.
Before burning, the target area shall be prepared for the operation: some trees should be
felled and piled to feed the re, and this should
be done some months earlier so trees dry and
burn well. The burning should ideally affect the
forest in a versatile fashion: some trees should
be entirely burned, some damaged but still
languish alive, and some of the trees should be
slightly affected and stay alive. Fire intensity
should also be variable for the other ecosystem
layers: bushes, surface vegetation, and ground
layer.243
3.2.3. Creating Deadwood by

Damaging Trees
If the forest that is subject to restoration consists of tree species native to the site, but is
lacking deadwood, the easiest method to
increase deadwood is to fell living trees or to
damage the living trees mechanically. This can
be done by peeling the bark from around the
tree base by chain saw, axe, or billhook. Deadwood can also be created articially by damaging living trees with small explosive charges or
by articially introducing fungal mycelia into
otherwise healthy trees.
243
Tukia et al, 2001.
202
H. Karjalainen
When creating deadwood, it is important to

select large trees, and produce different qualities of decaying wood, for example, by directing
the falling of trees so that they lie in varied
microhabitats: some in moist soil, in the shadow,
and some in dry, open, scorching hot sunny
places. If a forest harvester or forest tractor can
be used, some trees could be pushed down with
their roots, thus creating disturbances to the soil
conditions, mimicking natural damages such as
storms.244
4. Future Needs
Our knowledge of the ecology and likely
population trajectories of even quite common
species is still very inadequate for many forest
types. Particular needs include the following:
Better methods for assessing the restoration
of ecological integrity over time for a variety
of forest ecosystems
Understanding of population levels at which
long-term decline and extirpation or extinction become likely, which should serve as a
trigger for active restoration efforts (especially the impact of forest continuity in time
and space on metapopulations of forestdwelling species)
Better knowledge on the precise relationship
between habitat requirements of species or
functional groups and the dynamics of key
habitats that can be managed and monitored
with greater facility than the 5000 species
living in a small temperate forest. This should
be particularly done through the development of long-term research investment in
some of the best existing forest laboratories
(i.e., remaining old-growth forests).
244
Tukia et al, 2001.
Basic taxonomic knowledge, rapid sampling

and monitoring techniques for groups that
represent the highest species richness of the
temperate or boreal forest, such as fungi,
lichens, and invertebrates (or their habitat)
References
Hanski, I. 2000. Extinction debt and species credit in
boreal forests: modelling the consequences of different approaches to biodiversity conservation.
Annales Zoologi Fennici 37:271280.
Huxel, G., and Hastings, A. 1999. Habitat loss, fragmentation and restoration. Restoration Ecology
7:309315.
Karjalainen, H., Halkka, A., and Lappalainen, I. (ed.)
2001. Insight into Europes Forest Protection.
WWF International Report.
Montalvo, A., Williams, S., Rice, K., et al. 1997.
Restoration biology: a population biology perspective. Restoration Ecology 5:277290.
Palmer, M., Ambrose, R., and Poff, N. 1997. Ecological theory and community restoration ecology.
Penttil, R., Siitonen, J., and Kuusinen, M. 2004.
Polypore diversity in mature managed and oldgrowth boreal Picea abies forests in Southern
Finland. Biological Conservation, 117(3):271283.
Rassi, P. et al. 2003. Committee Report on Forest
Restoration in Finland. Ministry of the Environment, Finland.
Siitonen, J., Kaila, L., Kuusinen, M., 2001. Vanhojen
talousmetsien ja luonnonmetsien rakenteen ja
lajiston erot Etel-Suomessa. Metsntutkimuslaitoksen Tiedonantoja 812:2553.
Tilman, D., Lehman, C., and Kareiva, P. 1997. Population Dynamics in Spatial Habitats. Spatial
Ecology, pp. 320. Princeton University Press,
Princeton, New Jersey.
Tukia, H., Hokkanen, M., Jaakkola, S., 2001. The
Handbook of Ecological Forest Restoration (in
Finnish). Metshallitus and Finnish Environmental Institute, 87 pages.
29
Restoration of Deadwood as a Critical
Microhabitat in Forest Landscapes
Nigel Dudley and Daniel Vallauri

Deadwood is one of the most critically
threatened microhabitats in many temperate
forests and supports up to 25 percent of
forest biodiversity.
Deadwood can best be re-created through
policy changes that allow retention of
veteran, dying, and dead timber, but in a few
specic cases where biodiversity loss is likely
because of the short-term nature of the lack
of deadwood, management to create deadwood is sometimes justiable.
1. Background and
Managed forests often lack critical microhabitats, because these have been deliberately or
inadvertently removed. Without them much of
the naturally occurring biodiversity disappears
and restoration of forest quality often involves
re-creation of microhabitats. Perhaps the most
important of all forest microhabitats are
ancient trees and deadwood. These help to:
maintain forest productivity by providing
organic matter, moisture, nutrients, and
regeneration sites for conifer treessome
tree species germinate preferentially on logs;
provide habitat for creatures that live, feed,
or nest in cavities in dead and dying timber,
and for aquatic species that live in pools

created by fallen logs and branches;
supply a food source for specialised feeders
such as beetles and for fungi and bacteria,
which in turn help maintain the food web by
their own role as food for predators;
stabilise the forest by helping to preserve
slope and surface stability and preventing
soil erosion; and
store carbon in the long term, which could
help mitigate some of the impacts of climate
change.245
A newly dead tree attracts specialised organisms, principally fungi, able to break down the
tough lignin layer. In Sweden 2500 fungi species
rely on deadwood.246 Next come cellulose
feeders including many beetles. Research in
Czech oodplain forest found 14 saproxylic
(deadwood loving) ant species and 389 saproxylic beetle species.247 Specialised birds feed on
these; the great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopus major) relies on insects in deadwood for
97 percent of its winter food.248 At least 10
European owls use tree holes for nesting along
with many other birds and bats, while mammals
like bears shelter in hollows in dead trees.249
Over a quarter of mammals in European
forests are associated with deadwood and cav-
245
246
247
248
249
Humphrey et al, 2002; Maser et al, 1988.

Sandstrm, 2003.
Schlaghamersky, 2000.
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, undated.
Mullarney et al, 1999.
203
204
N. Dudley and D. Vallauri
Table 29.1. Habitats provided by deadwood.

Living old
trees
Standing
dead trees
Lying timber
Litter to soil
Very old trees with large canopy and

cavities
Dead wood on live trees
Newly dead standing trees with
branches and twigs
Standing trunks (snags) of different
ages
Snags with major cavities
Young dead trees
Recently fallen logs
Down logs largely intact, wood
starting to soften internally
Down logs without bark, wood
softening
Down logs well decayed, wood
largely soft and discoloured
Down logs almost completely
decayed, wood powdery
Uprooted trees
Large woody debris
Fragments of woody debris
Coarse woody debris in rivers
and streams
ities.250 Accumulation of coarse woody debris

in streams slows downstream ow, creating
sh habitat and providing substrate for algae.
Research in the western United States found
that pools created by logs and branches provide
over half the salmonoid spawning and rearing
habitats in small streams. Deadwood creates
a variety of habitats, as shown in Table 29.1,
depending on the tree species, age at death, and
stage of decay; its role as food and habitat
varies depending on whether deadwood is part
of an otherwise living tree, a standing tree
or trunk or a down log in various stages of
decay.251
In unmanaged European broad-leaved
forest, deadwood comprises 5 to 30 percent of
timber, normally 40 to 200 m3 per hectare with
average volumes for beech forest of 136 m3/
hectare.252 Yet current national averages are
often only a few cubic metres per hectare, and
species associated with deadwood are often at
risk. In Sweden, for instance, one of the most
250
251
252
Trav et al, 1999.

Dudley and Vallauri, 2004.
Christensen and Katrine, 2003.
densely forested countries in Europe, 805

species dependent on deadwood are on the
national Red List because forest management
does not support suitable habitat.253
2. Examples
The following examples illustrate the importance of deadwood in both temperate and tropical forests.
2.1. Poland: Bialowieza Forest

The Bialowieza forest is one of the most natural
forests in Europe, between Poland and Belarus,
protected as a hunting reserve since the 1300s.
On the Polish side 17 percent of the forest
(10,500 hectares) is a national park, of which
half has been strictly protected for over 80
years. Deadwood (mainly logs and other lying
material) contribute about a quarter of the total
above-ground wood biomass in the reserve,
ranging from 87 to 160 m3/hectare.254
2.2. France: Fontainebleau

Fontainebleau is a 136-hectare forest reserve
last cut over in 1372, protected since 1853 and
consisting mainly of beech with oak, hornbeam,
and lime. Volumes of deadwood are 142 to
256 m3/hectare, with higher volume following a
severe storm. Volume is linked to decay time,
with higher volumes but shorter retention time
in the case of stands being suddenly knocked
down by storms and lower, more constant
volumes when trees fall naturally with age. This
contrasts markedly with the current national
average of deadwood for France of 2.2 m3/
hectare; most forests have as little as 1 to 2
percent of the naturally occurring deadwood
densities.255
2.3. Finland: Southern Region

An active restoration policy has been developed under METSO (forest biodiversity pro253
254
255
Sandstrm, 2003.
Bobiec et al, 2000.
Mountford, 2002.
29. Restoration of Deadwood as a Critical Microhabitat
gramme for southern Finland) with goals of

restoring 33,000 hectares, including prescribed
burning on 960 hectares, an increase in dead
and decaying trees on 10,500 hectares, and creating small gaps in stands on 5200 hectares and
peatland restoration on 16,000 hectares. So
far, 56 operational restoration plans have
been prepared and some have already been
implemented.256
2.4. Canada: Pacic Northwest

Research in Canada shows that 69 vertebrate
species commonly use cavities, and 47 species
respond positively to the presence of down
wood. Cavity users typically represent 25 to 30
percent of the terrestrial vertebrate fauna in
these forests. Around two to three large snags
[over 40 cm in diameter at breast height (dbh)]
per hectare and 10 to 20 smaller (20 cm dbh)
snags per hectare are required for cavity
nesting birds.257
2.5. Australia: Southern Forests

of Tasmania
In Tasmania around 350 beetle species have
been collected from Eucalyptus obliqua logs in
wet eucalypt forests along with many ies,
earthworms, velvet worms, and molluscs. Fungi
and lichens are also heavily dependent on
deadwood, and 165 bryophyte species have
been recorded from logs at the same habitat.258
2.6. U.S.: Hawaii

Many of the woody species in Hawaiis tropical
montane cloud forest germinate on down logs,
particularly those with a substantial moss
covering. Research found that natural coarse
woody debris volume varied between 136 and
428 m3/hectare. The presence of logs is thought
to be a critical factor in ensuring regeneration
in these closed canopy tropical forests.259
256
257
258
259
Visnen, personal communication.

Boyland and Bunnell, 2002.
Grove et al, 2002.
Santiago, 2000.
205
3. Outline of Tools
Today, the most threatened species in many
forests are often those associated with deadwood and very old forest stands, and as a result
the retention and restoration of deadwood
components is seen as one of the most important challenges facing forest managers interested in creating forests that are good for both
people and wildlife.260 Forest managers have a
number of tools available to help in the assessment, planning, and restoration of natural
deadwood components in forests:
Assessment: Assessment systems are now
available to give guidance in recording and
classifying deadwood components in a range
of forest types, and a few governments are
starting to include such assessments as a standard part of their forest inventory. The
Ministerial Conference for the Protection of
Forests in Europe has identied deadwood as
a necessary indicator for member states, and
such survey techniques are likely to increase
in the future. Most surveys rely on transects
or random sampling plots and use standardised recording systems to classify deadwood
components with respect to size, location,
and stage of decay.Assessment and an understanding of the ecology of target species
ecology are the rst stages in determining
restoration needs.
Identifying and protecting key sites: The richness of remaining natural forest fragments is
increasingly being recognised, yet many are
currently being threatened or degraded. Use
of initiatives such as the Natura 2000 network
in Europe and additions to national protected
area networks can help to maintain essential
reference forests and arks for deadwood
species. Some reserves still practice forest
management, particularly in Europe, for
instance, through maintaining ancient coppicing systems, and these may need to be
adjusted to increase deadwood and veteran
trees; a greater number of strict nature
reserves are also required in many regions.
260
206
N. Dudley and D. Vallauri
Zoning: In forest landscapes the proportion

of deadwood desired in any one place is
likely to vary according to management
needs, from a fully natural deadwood component in protected areas to inclusion of
deadwood components in managed secondary forest, and perhaps very little deadwood
retained in intensively managed articial
plantations. Landscape-scale zoning can be a
useful tool to agree necessary and desired
levels of deadwood in order to support
biodiversity.
Forest management policies: Forest management policies should include the retention of
trees and wood components likely to support
saproxylic species within managed forests.
Guidelines are available for what size and
shape of deadwood to leave; in general, it is
the larger components of deadwood (logs
and standing trunks) that are likely to be
missing, although in intensively managed
areas even branches and twigs may have
been routinely cleared. Likely components
include:
existing large, old, dying or dead trees,
pollarding senescent trees if necessary to
prolong the existence of this particular
habitat if it is in short supply;
a proportion of middle-aged trees to
ensure a balanced supply of deadwood in
the future;
key habitat areas within managed forests
where stands are allowed to mature in a
natural manner; and
fallen deadwood, including brash from
thinnings (possibly a mixture of cleared
and uncleared areas) and, even more
importantly, large logs.
Using other management interventions: Other
management interventions can be considered if these are likely to help support
saproxylic species, either in designated areas
or more generally, including:
prescribed burning in boreal and some
other forest habitats (there is also a need
to balance deadwood retention with management of re risk);
after a storm, before grant-supporting
expensive salvage logging, balance the ecological and economical benet of leaving a
large amount of deadwood on the ground

(without perverse subsidies, economic
factors will often create a near-to-nature
form of management); and
creation of articial snags by leaving a
proportion of some trunks standing after
felling.
Articial restoration of deadwood and bridging substitutes: In a crisis, where deadwood is
in such short supply that dependent species
face extirpation or even extinction, shortterm restoration methods may be justiable,
whereby deadwood is created through articial disturbance. However, these are costly
and only partially successful in helping to
protect a proportion of the expected species
and are at best an interim measure. Several
strategies have been tested, including:
deliberate creation of standing or fallen
snags, uprooted trees, leaning dead trees,
and standing dead trees;
hastening senescence and creating habitat
trees;
drilling, for example, nest holes of different
sizes so that species using secondary nest
holes have instantly created habitat; and
creation of habitat surrogates such as nest
boxes and bat boxes: the recovery of the
pied ycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca) in the
U.K. has been ascribed to use of nest
boxes.
4. Future Needs
Perhaps the most urgent need is for a better
understanding of the dynamics and importance
of deadwood to the biodiversity and ecology of
forests, particularly in the tropics and in
Mediterranean habitats, where research has
generally been more limited to date. More
information is also needed about the possible
costs of deadwood retention policies, including
the economic costs for commercial management and more about links between deadwood
and the spread of pests and diseases. (Current
research suggests that this should not be a
major problem, but more detailed studies
are required.) Simple-to-use assessment techniques are still needed for many forest types,
29. Restoration of Deadwood as a Critical Microhabitat
and a better understanding of national or

regional deadwood averages. In addition,
national Red Lists generally contain scant
information about deadwood species such as
fungi and beetles, and this gap needs to be
addressed. In addition, knowledge about the
role of deadwood in tropical forests is far less
complete, and much research is needed on its
role and conservation.
References
Bobiec, A., van der Burgt, H., Zuyderduyn, C., Haga,
J., and Vlaanderen, B. 2000. Rich deciduous forests
in Bialowieza as a dynamic mosaic of developmental phases: premises for nature conservation
and restoration management. Forest Ecology and
Management 130(13):159175.
Boyland, M., and Bunnell, F.L. 2002. Vertebrate use
of dead wood in the Pacic Northwest, University
of British Columbia, British Columbia.
Christensen, M., and Katrine, H., compilers. 2003. A
Study of Dead Wood in European Beech Forest
Reserves. Nature-Based Management of Beech in
Europe Project.
Dudley, N., and Vallauri, D. 2004. Deadwood, living
forests. The importance of veteran trees and
deadwood to biodiversity. WWF brochure, Gland,
Switzerland, 16 pages.
Grove, S., Meggs, J., and Goodwin, A. 2002. A Review
of Biodiversity Conservation Issues Relating to
Coarse Woody Debris Management in the Wet
Eucalypt Production Forests of Tasmania. Forestry
Tasmania, Hobart.
Humphrey, J., Stevenson, A., Whiteld, P., and
Swailes, J. 2002. Life in the deadwood: a guide to
managing deadwood in Forestry Commission
forests. Forest Enterprise, Edinburgh.
Maser, C., Tarrant, R.F., Trappe, J.M., Franklin, J.F.,
eds. 1988. From the forest to the sea: a story
of fallen trees. General Technical Report PNW-
207
GTR-229. US Forest Service, Pacic Northwest

Research Station, Oregon, 153 pages.
Mountford, E.P. 2002. Fallen dead wood levels in
the near-natural beech forest at La Tillaie reserve,
Fontainebleau, France. Forestry: Research Note
75(2):203208.
Mullarney, K., Svensson, L., Zetterstrm, D., and
Grant, P.J. 1999. Bird Guide. Harper Collins,
London.
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. Undated.
Leaet. Sandy, Bedfordshire.
Sandstrm, E. 2003. Dead wood: objectives, results
and life-projects in Swedish forestry. In: Mason, F.,
Nardi, G., and Tisato, M., eds. Dead Wood: A Key
to Biodiversity. Proceedings of the international
symposium, May 2931, Mantova, Italy. Sherwood
95 (suppl 2), Mantova.
Santiago, L.B. 2000. Use of coarse woody debris by a
plant community of a Hawaiian montane cloud
forest. Biotropica 32(4a):633641.
Schlaghamersky, J. 2000. The saproxylic beetles
(Coleoptera) and ants (Formicidae) of Central
European Floodplain Forests. Published by the
author.
Trav, J., Duran, F., and Garrigue, J. 1999. Biodiversit, richesse spcique, naturalit. Lexemple de la
Rserve Naturelle de la Massane. Travaux scientiques de la Rserve Naturelle de la Massane
50:130.
Visnen, R. Personal communication from the
director of Metshallitus Natural Heritage Services, Vantaa, Finland.
Vallauri, D., Andr, J., and Blondel, J. 2003. Le bois
mort: une lacune des forts gres. Revue
Forestire Franaise 2:316.
Additional Reading
Mason, F., Nardi, G., and Tisato, M., eds. 2003. Legno
Morto: Una Chiave per la Biodiversita / Dead
Wood: A Key to Biodiversity. Proceedings of the
International Symposium May 2931, Sherwood
95 (suppl 2), Mantova, Italy.
30
Restoration of Protected Area Values
Nigel Dudley

Restoration is required even within many
protected areas, either because they have
previously been degraded or because of
overexploitation since protection, often
through illegal use.
A key element in promoting restoration is
the careful zoning of protected areas, particularly if these permit some level of use,
to include strictly off-limit areas to allow
natural dynamics; sometimes these can be
temporary exclusion zones.
Careful use of the IUCN protected area categories can help determine and describe
management options in protected areas.
1. Background and
Protected area networks are based on the
assumption that designated areas will be protected in perpetuity and that their values
(biodiversity, environmental services, cultural
importance, etc.) will survive. Unfortunately,
many protected areas are under threat or are
actually losing habitat and biodiversity. Current
threats to forest protected areas include illegal
logging, overcollection of nontimber forest
products (especially poaching and bush meat
hunting), and encroachment. Other protected
208
areas have been set up in areas where forests

have previously been managed and otherwise
altered, degraded, or destroyed. Many forest
protected areas have become isolated from
other forest habitat, creating long-term problems of viability.261 Restoration, therefore, may
be required to reestablish natural habitat or to
re-create or improve corridors between forest
protected areas and thus build a strong protected area network.
In all these cases some form of management
may be needed to restore forests or more
specically to restore and maintain specic protected-area values. Sometimes restoration will
simply require protecting forests to encourage
natural regeneration, but in other cases more
active intervention may be needed. Where
species are under immediate threat, the time
and expense involved in active restoration may
be justied in order to speed up the process of
reestablishing suitable habitat. In large protected areas, restoration itself needs to be
focussed on the most important places and
approaches, such as the identication of high
conservation value forest.
Restoration in protected areas can take two
forms. It is often a time-limited process to
restore specic areas of forest or forest types
that have been degraded or destroyed (i.e.,
planned interventions to increase forest quality
from the perspective of natural plant and
animal species). However, where loss of quality
comes from more intractable problems such as
261
Carey et al, 2000.
30. Restoration of Protected Area Values
persistent invasive species, or where forests

have been managed for so long that they
have become cultural landscapes with their
own associated biodiversity, restoration may
be a longer-term process that requires constant
intervention both to re-create and then to
maintain desired habitat.
Decisions about the extent and type of
restoration should be addressed within protected area management plans, based on overall
management objectives, which themselves
relate to the IUCN category assigned to the
area (see below).
In some parts of the world, for instance
Western Europe, the eastern United States, and
Southeast Asia, virtually all protected areas
have been altered and could thus be candidates
for restoration. However, there is also a growing movement for re-creation of wilderness,
and this creates tension with restoration activities and sometimes a backlash against management interventions within protected areas.262
There is an inherent contradiction between
intervening to increase forest quality and
reducing interventions to increase naturalness
and wilderness. Promoting passive restoration (for example, by removing the threats and
pressures that are altering forests) can sometimes achieve both ends. Sometimes forests are
actively suppressed to enhance biodiversity
values, such as in the various savannah habitats
of national parks in East Africa where regular
burning is used to prevent trees from encroaching. The extent to which it is possible to
re-create wilderness values is still not well
tested.
Restoration can be and is practised in all
types of protected areas, from the most strictly
protected to cultural landscape areas with
relatively large resident human communities.
In addition, IUCN has dened one type of protected areacategory IV: habitat/species management areaas protected areas managed
mainly for conservation through management
interventions, which often include a large
element of restoration.
262
Landres et al, 2000.
209
1.1. Recognition of the Need for

Restoration in Protected Areas
The international community has long recognised the importance of restoration within protected areas. For example in 1972 the original
wording of the World Heritage Convention
(Article 5-d) included this requirement: To
take appropriate legal, scientic, technical,
administrative and nancial measures necessary for the identication, protection, conservation, presentation and rehabilitation of this
heritage (our emphasis).
In February 2004, the Seventh Conference of
the Parties of the Convention on Biological
Diversity met in Kuala Lumpur to look specically at protected areas. Its draft Programme of
Work on Protected Areas includes the following in suggested activities for parties (1.2.5):
Rehabilitate and restore habitats and degraded
ecosystems, as appropriate, as a contribution to
building ecological networks and/or buffer zones.
2. Examples
Many restoration activities simply involve
reducing pressures by force or by agreement;
in other cases more active measures are also
needed on the ground. The following examples
show some of the ways in which restoration is
being attempted within protected areas:
2.1. Jordan: Restoration Can

Sometimes Simply Involve
Removing Immediate Pressures
In Dana Nature Reserve in central Jordan,
agreements between local Bedouin and park
authorities have halved the number of goats
grazing within the reserve to 9000, leading to
large-scale forest regeneration in what had
previously been almost a desert landscape.
Here the efforts at restoration were more in
negotiating agreements than in management
interventions and have been accompanied by
efforts to provide alternative livelihoods for
local people through ecotourism, agriculture,
and selling herbs (information from discussion
with park guards, September 2000).
210
N. Dudley
2.2. Finland: Active Restoration

Is Used to Accelerate the
Achievement of a Natural
State in Areas Previously
Utilised Commercially
In this example in Finland, the longer term aim
is the creation of ecologically coherent, selfsustaining areas of woodland where natural
dynamics are the driving forces behind change.
Such interventions are used particularly in protected areas in the south, where long-term management has altered forest composition and
structure. The main measures used are helping
deciduous saplings to establish by making small
clearings, deliberate creation of deadwood by
damaging trees to hasten the restoration of natural
decay patterns, and use of articial forest res.263
2.3. Costa Rica: Where

Deforestation Has Been
Severe, Active Planting May
Be Needed to Restore
Forest Cover
In the Guanacaste National Park in Costa Rica,
severe forest loss necessitated articial reforestation, including the use of Gmelina plantations to provide a nurse crop for natural forest
regeneration.264
2.4. France: Even in Relatively

Pristine Forests, Invasive
Species Can Create Arguments
for Restoration
In Fontainebleau Forest strict reserve, near
Paris, native woodland has been left to regain
natural structure and functioning, but the area
has been invaded by Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica) where tree fall creates gaps in
the canopy. There is a debate about whether
nonintervention can work in situations where
the natural ecology has already been radically
altered.265
263
264
265
Metshallitus Forest and Park Service, 2000.

Janzen, 2000.
Dudley, 1996.
2.5. U.S.: Restoration of Wilderness

Values Requires Particular
Management Steps
Many ofcially designated wilderness areas
have been settled in the past and are now
being managed to restore values of naturalness
and wilderness. For example, the Coronado
National Forest in Arizona contains many
wilderness areas that have previously been
subject to gold mining, settlement, logging, and
ranching. All logging has now been banned
from these areas, and relics of human activity
are left to decay over time. Current visitation is
managed, with, for instance, camping permitted
in only a few designated areas. These management actions reect a desire to increase wilderness values in what is already a fairly natural
forest from the perspective of biodiversity,
although gold mining would still be legal in the
area (information collected on site visit).
3. Outline of Tools
Protected area managers can choose from a
range of assessment, planning, and management tools to re-create or restore natural
forests in their reserves. Once needs have
been identied, many restoration approaches
described elsewhere in this book may be
appropriate.
Assessment frameworks for wilderness and
naturalness: A key element in developing
restoration strategies is determining an end
point for restoration. Fortunately, many definitions of natural forest exist and some have
associated assessment methodologies. While
these provide some useful assessment tools,
most have been developed for temperate
forests and do not translate well to tropical
conditions, or necessarily between forest
types even in temperate countries. More
generalised tools for assessing naturalness
and wilderness still need to be developed.
In general, we would propose that protected
area managers concentrate on re-creating the
values and conditions that they are trying to
30. Restoration of Protected Area Values
manage for, rather than aiming to reproduce

an (often largely hypothetical) original
forest.
Management: Plans and zoning of use: most
protected areas do not exist as single management entities, but instead are zoned into
areas with different management approaches, and different regulations regarding use
and level of protection. IUCN divides protected areas into six categories266:
Category Ia: Strict nature reserve/wilderness protection area managed mainly for
science or wilderness protection
Category Ib: Wilderness area: protected
area managed mainly for wilderness
protection
Category II: National park: protected area
managed mainly for ecosystem protection
and recreation
Category III: Natural monument: protected area managed mainly for conservation of specic natural features
Category IV: Habitat/species management
area: protected area managed mainly
for conservation through management
intervention
Category
V:
Protected
landscape/
seascape: protected area managed mainly
for landscape/seascape conservation or
recreation
Category VI: Managed resource protected
area: protected area managed mainly for
the sustainable use of natural resources.
Although these categories describe the main
purpose of the reserve (and should apply to
at least two thirds of its area) other forms of
management are possible in the remainder to
meet the needs of local communities, visitors,
or, for instance, because active restoration is
needed in an otherwise strictly protected
area.267 Identication of the need, extent of,
and timing for restoration should be a key
part of management plans in those forest
protected areas where restoration is needed,
including the identication of specic targets,
approaches, and timetables.
266
267
IUCN, 1994; Phillips, 2003.

IUCN, 1994.
211
Access controls to allow regeneration: Protected

areas in which one management authority
controls the whole site can use zoning,
including temporary zoning such as exclusion zones for visitors or for herbivores, to
facilitate natural regeneration or to increase
the speed and success of regeneration planting. A variety of different approaches exist:
More or less permanent exclusion zones to
allow long-term recovery of forest types
that have lost old-growth characteristics.
For example, it will take hundreds of years
to recover fully old-growth characteristics
in the recovering kauri (Agathis) forests of
New Zealand, which were almost totally
destroyed by miners but are now gradually
regrowing in a series of national parks and
reserves where grazing and felling are both
controlled (information from reserve staff
in 1991).
Temporary exclusion zones to allow recovering forest to get a head start without
trampling from visitors, once seedlings
have established the exclusion zone can be
removed. For example, such exclusion
zones are established on Stradbroke Island
off the coast of Queensland, Australia, in
reserves established on former sand quarry
sites where poor soils make tree establishment relatively difcult (information from
a site visit, 2000)
Agreements with landowners: protected
areas under the control of multiple
landowners, for instance many category V
reserves, or with multiple stakeholders,
need to rely instead on voluntary agreements with landowners, with or without
compensation payments, to facilitate
restoration.268 Such agreements might be
to exclude grazing stock from particular
areas or for more active regeneration
activities. If possible, agreements should be
developed in such a way as to create benets for all parties, for instance, a community agreement to restore a forest that
268
Phillips, 2003.
212
N. Dudley
would be both a form of erosion control

and a wildlife habitat.
Active restoration activities: lastly, protected area managers will also have to
resort to the kinds of active interventions
that are described elsewhere in this book.
Particular needs in the case of protected
areas might relate to:
tourist impact (e.g., trampling, damage
at camping grounds, trails, etc.)269;
areas being reclaimed following past
activity such as mining, quarrying, etc.
(see Opencast Mining Reclamation);
and
areas being restored through eradication of exotic invasive species (see
Managing the Risk of Invasive Alien
Species in Restoration).
4. Future Needs
Key needs for the future include more systematic integration of restoration into protected
area networks (for example, through buffer
zones, corridors, etc.) and greater investment
for restoration in protected areas, which is still
generally approached as a minor part of protected area management.
269
Eagles et al, 2002.
References
Carey, C., Dudley, N., and Stolton, S. 2000. Squandering Paradise: The Importance and Vulnerability of the Worlds Protected Areas. WWF
International, Gland, Switzerland.
Dudley, N. 1996. Why research in natural forest
reserves? A discussion paper for COST Action E4,
Fontainebleau, September 1214, 7 pp.
Eagles, P.F.J., McCool, S.F., and Haynes, C.D. 2002.
Sustainable Tourism in Protected Areas: Guidelines for Planning and Management. Cardiff
University and IUCN, Cardiff and Gland,
Switzerland.
IUCN. 1994. Guidelines for Protected Area Management Categories. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland.
Janzen, D.H. 2000. Costa Ricas Area de Conservacin Guanacaste: a long march to survival
through nondamaging biodevelopment. Biodiversity 1(2):720.
Landres, P.B., Brunson, M.W., Merigliano, L.,
Sydoriak, C., and Morton, S. 2000. Naturalness
and Wildness: The Dilemma and Irony of Managing Wilderness. Proceedings RMRS, Wilderness
Science in a Time of Change Conference, Missoula, Montana, May 2327, 1999, USDA Forest
Service, pp. 377381.
Metshallitus Forest and Park Service. 2000. The
Principles of Protected Area Management in
Finland: Guidelines on the Aims, Function and
Management of State-Owned Protected Areas.
Natural Heritage Services, Vantaa, Finland.
Phillips, A. 2003. Management Guidelines for IUCN
Category V Protected Areas: Protected Landscapes and Seascapes. Cardiff University and
IUCN, Cambridge, UK.
Section X
Restoring Socioeconomic Values
31
Using Nontimber Forest Products for
Restoring Environmental, Social, and
Economic Functions
Pedro Regato and Nora Berrahmouni

The economic and social signicance of
nontimber forest products (NTFPs) to sustain peoples livelihoods and local, national,
and international markets justify the need
to invest resources in harvesting, growing,
and planting a wide range of native plant
species.
Applying and adapting the existing ecological restoration techniques to NTFPs can help
secure focal species habitat requirements
and diversify natural resource production
on which sustainable forest management is
based.
Well-dened tenure and access rights and
funding mechanisms can provide adequate
incentives for creating community-based
NTFP
income-generating
restoration
initiatives.
1. Background and
Nontimber forest products (NTFPs) are
dened as biological resources of plant and
animal origin, derived from natural forests,
managed forests, plantations, wooded land, and
trees outside forests. What distinguishes NTFPs
from agricultural products is their origin: they
come from species of ora and fauna native to

the forest systems, and the wild or semidomesticated mode of production.270
An indication of the socioeconomic importance of NTFPs is the fact that 80 percent of the
population from the developing world meets a
proportion of its health and nutritional needs
through NTFPs.271 Several million households
worldwide depend on NTFPs for subsistence
consumption or income. Global attention to
NTFPs has recently increased, mainly due to
two factors:
Their compatibility with environmental
objectives, including the conservation of biological diversity
Their contribution, not only to household
economies and food security, but also to
national economies
There are at least 150 NTFPs that contribute
substantially to international trade, including
honey, gum arabic, rattan and bamboo shoots,
cork, forest nuts and mushrooms, oleoresins,
essential oils, and plant or animal parts for
pharmaceutical products.
The NTFPs availability in forest landscapes
is related to the maintenance of high plant
diversity rates, and the existence of a rich
mosaic of habitat types and well-structured
forests.
270
271

FAO, 1997.
215
216
P. Regato and N. Berrahmouni
1.1. The Multifunctional

Forest Concept
Historically, in many forest areas, rural communities have developed forest management
systems that meet multiple functions or purposes, in which their economies are based on
the harvesting and production of a wide range
of NTFPs channelled through local, national,
or international markets. Under these circumstances, forest landscapes have been to a certain
extent human-shaped, characterised by a rich
mosaic-like structure integrating natural
forests, several wooded, shrub and grassland
formations, and seminatural agroforestry land
areas, including extensive agricultural land.
Unfortunately, many traditional multipurpose forestry systems have been lost or collapsed in numerous forest areas due to
sociopolitical instability or macroeconomic
drivers. The result has been the intensication
of one single forest usethe conversion of
forest land into agriculture or nonnative tree
plantationsand signicant biodiversity loss
and land degradation.
1.2. Forest Landscapes and Habitat

Diversity: The Environmental
Values of NTFPs
The production of NTFPs can be expected to
produce less severe environmental impacts to
forest ecosystems than timber extraction.
Valuing and supporting new economic opportunities based on NTFPs as part of multipurpose
forest systems can contribute to both improving
the environmental benets of forest landscapes
and to sustaining and improving livelihoods,
especially in less favoured rural areas.
1.3. Traditional Sustainable

Management Systems:
The Economic and Social
Signicance of NTFPs
Considering peoples high dependence on
NTFPs for their livelihoods, there is a signi-
cant economic incentive for many countries to

develop the NTFP production potential of their
forests and to generate positive socioeconomic
benets for rural populations while ensuring
that these are compatible with conservation
values. However, to deliver this potential there
is a need to modify current economic notions
that govern forest management, notably by
enlarging and improving market opportunities,
and securing payment mechanisms and incentives for land owners/users to restore forest
resources and the goods and services that they
provide.
The NTFP markets are also important at
the regional and international levels as they
provide revenues for the actors directly
involved and for the government. At the international level, it is estimated that the trade in
NTFPs amounts to $11 billion. The European
Community (EC), the United States, and Japan
account for 60 percent of world imports of
NTFPs, and the general direction of trade is
from developing to developed countries.272
1.4. NTFPs As a Response to

Poverty and As a Safety Net
for the Poorest Members
of Society
Forest biodiversity, via NTFPs (harvested or
hunted biological products from wild or cultivated sources), plays an important role in
addressing poverty for marginalised, forestdependent communities. The NTFPs contribute
to livelihood needs, including food security,
health and well-being, and income.273 In many
parts of the world these resources are critical
for the poorest members of society who are
often the main actors in NTFP extraction and
may provide them with their only source of
income. Ninety percent of people who earn less
than one dollar a day depend on forests for
their livelihoods, according to the World Bank
(see Box 31.1).
272
273
Ndoye and Ruiz-Perez, 1997.

31. Using Nontimber Forest Products
217
Box 31.1. NTFPs in gures

It is estimated that 1.5 million people in the
Brazilian Amazon derive their income from
extractive products.
In the forest zone of Southern Ghana, it is
estimated that 258,000 people or 20 percent
of the economically active population derive
income from NTFPs.1
In Nigeria, it is estimated that 78,880 tons
of Irvingia gabonensis are marketed per
year.2
In the Mediterranean region, the production of NTFPs is well below its potential.
2. Examples
2.1. NTFPs in the Mediterranean
Region: Restoring the
Ecological, Social, and
Economic Functions of Cork
Oak Forest Landscapes274
Cork oak (Quercus suber) characterises
mosaic-like forest landscapes in the siliceous
lowland and mid-mountain areas of the western
Mediterranean region. Even though cork represents the main economic interest (270,000
tonnes/year, which represents $100 million) the
environmental, social, and economic sustainability of cork oak forest systems depends on a
diversied production of several NTFPs (i.e.,
edible nuts, fruits and acorns, honey, medicinal
and aromatic plants, mushrooms, game, resins,
spirits, basketry, pastures) from which farmers
get their annual revenue (for example, a diverse
NTFPs production of more than 10 products in
cork oak and holm oak sylvopastoral systems
represented a total amount of 433 million euros
in 1986 in Spain).
274
This example has been extracted from Moussouris and

Regato, 1999; Moussouris and Regato, 2002; and Oliveira
and Palma, 2003.
For instance, the current cork production

(3.7 million tonnes/year), game production
(1.2 million tonnes/year), and medicinal/
aromatic plants (4.5 million tonnes/year)
represent in all around one third of their
potential.3
Source: Shanley et al, 2002.

1
Townson, 1995.
2
Shanley et al, 2002.
3
Bad management practices, overexploitation

of a few resources (i.e., rewood and grazing),
land conversion, and climate change have all
contrived to greatly threaten remaining cork
oak forest areas.
More than 240,000 hectares of cork oak trees
have been planted in Portugal and Spain since
1993, funded by the European Commissions
agriculture subsidies. Nevertheless, the simple
action of planting cork oaks may be neither
environmentally sufcient nor seen as economically interesting for land owners who will
not be prepared to wait 20 to 30 years to make
a prot. On the other hand, by applying
ecological restoration principles and emphasising multifunctionality in the landscape,
land owners/users may benet economically
after 5 to 10 years. By restoring the forest
ecosystem as a whole through planting a wide
number of native trees, shrubs, and herbal
plantsfor example, strawberry tree (Arbutus
unedo), harvesting for the production of spirits,
aromatic shrubs harvesting for distillation,
game, honey, etc.they can benet from the
harvesting of these various NTFPs well before
the planted cork oak trees become productive.
Appropriate incentives focussing on such multipurpose restoration practices may change
peoples attitudes from short-term choices to
longlasting sustainable management systems.
218
The restoration of cork oak forests implies a

set of management options, among which we
may highlight the following:
Production of native trees and shrubs in tree
nurseries for (1) developing mixed plantationsalternating oaks with faster growing
small fruit trees and aromatic shrubs in
degraded land; (2) diversifying the species
composition of high shrubs and forest stands;
(3) increasing tree density and understorey
species composition in open woodlands;
(4) creating vegetation lines along river networks and ravines
Improving natural regeneration of oak
species through pruning and rotating livestock systems
Diversifying native species composition in
grasslands through seedlings
Simulating natural re breaks by creating a
mosaic of forest gaps in sensitive areas with
grasslands, small shrubs plantation lines, and
scattered oak trees
Specic management plans for controlling
the dispersion of pioneer monospecic
Cistus spp. formations through harvesting for
Cistus distillation, and diversifying them
through plantation of fruit and honey shrub
species
2.2. NTFP Restoration in Southeast

Asia: The Case of Rattan
Species Production275
Rattans are light-demanding climbing palms
exploited for supplying cane for furniture,
matting, and basketry markets. Moreover,
rattans play an important role in the subsistence strategies of many rural populations in
Southeast Asia (e.g., edible fruits and palm
heart, medicines, and dyes). During the last 20
years, the rapid expansion of the international
and domestic trade in rattan ($6.5 billion/year)
has led to substantial overexploitation of the
wild resources. In addition, the lack of adequate
resource tenure contributes to their irrational
exploitation in many forest areas.
275
The case study text has been extracted from Shanley et

al, 2002; Sunderland and Dranseld, 2002.
Current attempts at long-term in situ

management of rattan in the wild have demonstrated the value of developing a range of restoration options, which include the following:
Specic management plans for creating
extractive reserves in community forests
and low-level protected areas, where local
people harvest rattan population within carrying capacity margins, which secures its
natural regeneration
Enrichment planting and canopy manipulation (opening articial gaps) in selectively
logged natural forests, as a way to enhance
rattan natural regeneration. This is perhaps
the most benecial form of cultivation, both
in terms of productivity and maintenance of
ecological integrity.
Rattan cultivation as part of agroforestry
systems, by rotating 7- to 15-year cycles of
rattan with plant food crops
Planting rattan within tree-based fast
growing plantations, such as rubber (Hevea
brasiliensis)
To improve harvesting techniques and avoid
any impacts on potential sustainability, the
younger stems of clustering species should
be left to regenerate future sources of cane,
and harvesting intensity should be based on
long-term assessments of growth rate and
recruitment.
2.3. NTFP Restoration in Latin

America: The Dragons Blood
Case in Western Amazonia276
Dragons blood is the generic name of neotropical trees of the genus Croton, used to treat a
wide range of health problems. Croton species
are all pioneer, light-demanding species, commonly associated with nonooded riparian
habitats, as well as low- and mid-elevation secondary forests in human-disturbed areas and
forest gaps in mature forests. For many years,
Dragons blood has been used by rural inhabi-
276
The case study text has been extracted from Alexiades,

2002.
tants and urban dwellers within and beyond

the tropical forests, and commercialised by an
extensive and largely informal network. During
the last decades, Croton latex has become an
international commodity, reaching over 26
tonnes in 1998. Commercial harvesting is
having a clear ecological impact on Croton,
especially in the most accessible areas, affecting
its distribution and demographics, which has
been a source of concern for nongovernmental
organisations (NGOs) and government
agencies.
Management regimes for Croton propagation and reforestation have been adopted in
Amazonian agroforestry systems, accompanied
by a concomitant professionalisation of all
concerned actors. Crotons role as a pioneer
species and its association with secondary
forests make it an ideal candidate for increasing economic returns from fallow management.
Abandoned crops and pastures are ideal environments for the establishment of mixed forest
stands, including Croton seedlings together
with other timber species. Restoration programmes with Croton in Peru have combined
Dragons blood trees with medicinal plants,
several timber trees, including Cedrela and Swietenia, and crop species such as coffee, cacao,
naranjilla, and manioc. The central government
of Peru has established an ofcial goal of planting two million Croton trees.
3. Outline of Tools
3.1. Valuing NTFPs in Rural
Development
Quantifying in economic terms the value of
NTFPs and the income they can provide rural
families is an important step forward for understanding the prevalent role of forest resources
in rural subsistence. If NTFPs were appropriately valued, this could provide a powerful
argument to governments and the private
sector to alter or reverse wrong spatial planning
decisions in forest landscapes of outstanding
biodiversity. When planning the conversion of
forests into agricultural land for subsistence
reasons, it is necessary to estimate the real eco-
219
nomic value of these forest resources in order

to make an informed decision. Economically
oriented projects involving the use of native
plant species should be subjected to a thorough
cost-benet analysis before being implemented. Generally speaking, there is a growing
need to argue and reafrm the fact that NTFPs
signicantly contribute to many local and
national economies, and have an unknown
potential that needs to be further researched.
There are a number of processes for evaluating what has been called the hidden forest
harvest277: (1) understand and assess the role
of forests in rural livelihoods, (2) assess the economic value of resources for rural households,
(3) value the local and regional markets for
forest products, (4) measure nonmarket values,
and (5) develop economic decision-making
frameworks. These methods are based on a set
of general principles: (1) data collection must
be done at the most appropriate social organisational unitfamily, gender, or other major
relationship; (2) collection of data on income,
consumption, and expenditures should include
as much as possible on uses of NTFPs; and (3)
data must be quantitative for statistical analysis and must be harmonised to make sure there
is coherence between different surveys. Participatory rural appraisal methods help understand the social context and help design the
most appropriate survey form. Data are
gathered through periodical interviews (i.e.,
semester interviews) in order to obtain fresh
information about the yearly cycle of NTFP
use.
3.2. Harvesting, Growing, and

Planting NTFPs
There are a number of ecological guidelines
and techniques applicable for restoring NTFP
source species in degraded forest land,
described in several chapters of this book. In all
cases, specic research and eld testing is
needed to get the necessary know-how on harvesting, growing, and planting the wide range of
trees, shrubs, and herbs native to each forest
ecosystem, as well as to facilitate natural regen277
Campbell and Luckert, 2002.
220
eration and habitat improvement techniques.

Standardised protocols for seed collection,
mycorrhization of nursery plants, nursery
and eld techniques for reduction of transplant
shock, need to be developed through pilot
experiences.
3.3. Establishing Community-Based

Income-Generating Associative
Systems Based on NTFPs
Well-dened tenure and access rights can
provide an incentive for local communities to
manage their natural resources sustainably.278
Replacement of communal tenure systems with
government management regimes and private
property has reduced peoples access to NTFPs,
which have traditionally been an important
part of their livelihoods. This fact has had
detrimental consequences, by increasing
both uncontrolled overexploitation of forest
resources and biodiversity loss.
A number of treaties covering indigenous
peoples rights to tenure, resource access,
benet sharing, and intellectual property rights
have been recently drafted and legally adopted
in several countries.
For instance, in the last decade, the Tunisian
government has established a legal framework
to provide local communities with access to
NTFPs in the state-owned forests and organisational means for people living in forest land
to manage them. WWF, the global conservation
organisation has assisted local communities to
build pilot local associations of common interest in the cork forest land through education,
institutional development, and training programmes for implementing forest management
plans and NTFPs harvesting.279
A pilot forest plan (Plan Piloto Forestal) was
conducted in Quintana Roo State, on the
Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, with the aim to
increase empowerment and control of forest
extraction activities to communities. This programme was built with political and technical
support, following a bottom-up approach,
which emphasised local decision making and

negotiation.280
The success of the Tunisian and Quintana
Roo pilot experiences have gained domestic
and international recognition, and these projects are now seen by governments, intergovernmental organisations, and NGOs as models
for similar initiatives in both countries.281
4. Future Needs
4.1. NTFPs and Forest Certication
Certication is a policy tool that attempts
to foster responsible resource stewardship
through the labelling of consumer products.
Even if forest certication has tended to focus
on timber products, opportunities exist to
promote sound ecological and social practices
in NTFPs management to support restoration
in degraded forest landscapes of outstanding
biodiversity and increase local communities
revenues and trade opportunities through this
market tool.
The certication systems that are relevant
for NTFPs include sustainable forestry, organic
agriculture, and fair trade. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) promotes well-managed
forests through the application of criteria that
address ecological, social, and economic
issues.282 The International Federation of
Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM)
has criteria for wild-harvested products as well
as specic criteria for some NTFPs like maple
syrup and honey. The Fair-Trade Labelling
Organisation (FLO), developed out of the
alternative trade movement, currently certies
a limited number of agroforestry products,
although its product range is increasing. The
integration of the three certication schemes
will appeal to a broader consumer market as
it may address in a more cost-effective and
harmonised manner environmental, harvesting,
processing, sanitation, benet sharing, social
and worker welfare, and chain-of-custody
criteria.
280
278
279

WWF, 2003.
281
282

WWF, 2003.
Mallet, 2001.
Certication specic to NTFPs is very recent,

and principles and processes are still being
worked out. Two certication bodies have
played a major role in NTFP certication: the
Rainforest Alliances Smartwood Programme
is certifying and labelling NTFPs through FSC,
and the Soil Associations Woodmark Programme offers a joint FSC/IFOAM certication. In 2002 seven FSC certicates were issued
that permitted commercial NTFP harvesting
(Chicle latex in Mexico; maple syrup in the U.S.;
Acai juice and palm hearts in Brazil; 30
cosmetic plants in Brazil; Brazil nut in Peru;
Oak tree bark in Denmark; Venison in
Scotland).283 Certication standards for cork
oak forests and pine resins have been developed in Spain, and several pilot cork certication initiatives are ongoing in Portugal, Spain,
and Italy.
4.2. NTFPs in National

Forestry Curricula
The use of NTFPs in forest landscape restoration programmes poses new challenges to the
forestry sector traditionally orientated toward
afforestation with a few fast-growing timber
tree species in degraded areas. New expertise
and know-how on managing, harvesting, growing, and planting a wide range of trees, shrubs,
and herbal NTFP species is required to undertake a thorough assessment of the potential and
opportunities for candidate NTFP restoration
operations.
During the last two decades NGOs, private
cooperatives, and research institutions have
played an important role in raising awareness,
developing NTFP production cooperatives, and
assisting local communities and governments in
developing pilot eld experiences and restoration protocols for growth in tree nurseries and
planting of a wide range of NTFPs. Currently,
the forestry sector curricula and university
study programmes are under revision for integrating ecological restoration and NTFPs conservation and management in countries such as
Spain and Morocco.
283
Brown et al, 2002.
221
4.3. Legal Frameworks and

Economic Incentives for
NTFPs to Support Local
Development
Government regulations about NTFPs conservation, access rights, management, and commercialisation are not always well dened.
Moreover, existing laws are occasionally contradictory and require resolution. In Latin
America, for instance, most forestry concessions are granted for timber, while NTFPs
are harvested without management plans
through short-term permits and governmentestablished quotas. In other cases, NTFP management falls under different ministries and
legislations, making it a difcult issue to deal
with for managers and certiers. In the
Mediterranean region, there is a cork oak forest
conservation law in Portugal, while in North
African countries local communities rights of
access for NTFPs in cork oak forest land are
not always dened and the governments have
the control of cork as a product.
International organisations and NGOs may
play a greater role in advocating and assisting
forest managers and governments to improve
NTFP legislation and guidance, given that
insufcient resources or incentives have been
allocated to products that traditionally have
generated small amounts of taxable income
for states. Certication may serve to catalyse
governments and multilateral organisations
nascent efforts to reinforce markets and legislation related to NTFPs.
References
Alexiades, M.N. 2002. Sangre de drago (Croton lechleri). In Shanley, P., Pierce, A., Laird, S.A., and
Guilln, A. eds. Tapping the Green Market: Certication and management of non-timber forest
products, Earthscan, London.
Brown, L., Robinson, D., and Karmann, M. 2002. The
Forest Stewardship Council and non-timber forest
product certication: a discussion paper. FSC,
Mexico.
Campbell, B.M., and Luckert, M.K. 2002. Evaluando
la Cosecha Oculta de los Bosques. NordanComunidad Ed., Montevideo, 270 pages.
222
FAO. 1997. Non-Wood Forest Products Forestry

Information Notes Handout, Rome.
Mallet P. 2001. Certication Challenges and Opportunities. Falls Brook Centre, Canada.
Moussouris, Y., and Regato, P. 1999. Forest harvest:
Mediterranean woodlands and the importance
of non-timber products to forest conservation,
Arborvitae supplement. WWF/IUCN. Longer referenced version can be found at http://www.fao.
org/waicent/faoinfo/forestry/nwfp/public.htm.
Moussouris, Y., and Regato, P. 2002. Mastic gum,
cork oak, pine nut, pine resin and chestnut. In:
Shanley, P., Pierce, A., Laird, S.A., and Guilln, A.
eds. Tapping the Green Market: Certication
and management of non-timber forest products,
Earthscan, London.
Ndoye, O., and Ruiz-Perez, M. 1997. The markets of
non-timber forest products in the humid forest
zone of Cameroon. In Doolan, S. ed. African Rainforest and the Conservation of Biodiversity. Proceedings of the Limbe Conference, pp. 128133,
Earthwatch Europe, London.
Oliveira, R., and Palma, L. 2003. Un Cordo Verde
para o Sul de Portugal. Restauraao de Paisagens
Florestais. ADPM ed., Portugal.
Pagiola, S., Bishop, J., and Landell-Mills, N. 2002.
Selling Forest Environmental Services. Earthscan,
London.
Shanley, P., Pierce, A., Laird, S.A., and Guilln, A.,
eds. 2002. Tapping the Green Market: certication
and management of non-timber forest products,

Earthscan, London.
Sunderland, T.C.H., and Dranseld, J. 2002. Rattan.
In Shanley, P. Pierce, A., Laird, S.A., and Guilln,
A., eds. 2002. Tapping the Green Market: certication and management of non-timber forest products, Earthscan, London.
Townson, I.M. 1995. Income from Non-Timber Forest
Products: Pattern of Enterprise Sciences. Oxford
University.
Vallejo, V.R., Serrasolses, I., Cortina, J., Seva, J.P.,
Valdecantos, A., and Vilagrosa, A. 2000. Restoration strategies and actions in Mediterranean
degraded lands. In: Enne, G., Zanolla, Ch., and
Peter, D., eds. Desertication in Europe: Mitigation
Strategies, Land-Use Planning. European Commission, Luxembourg.
WWF. 2003. Conservation and Management of
Biodiversity Hotspots in the Mediterranean. 10
Lessons Learned. WWF Mediterranean Programme, Rome.
Additional Reading
UNEP/WCMC. Nontimber forest products, Web
site:
http://valhalla.unep-wcmc.org/ntfp/
biodiversity.cfm?displang=eng.
32
An Historical Account of Fuelwood
Restoration Efforts
Don Gilmour

Fuelwood is an essential component of
peoples livelihoods in developing countries,
with average fuelwood requirement per
family being estimated at 200 kilogrammes
per person per year. Yet, fuelwood production and collection has been blamed for
much forest loss and degradation.
Over the last few decades, different approaches have been taken to fuelwood
production, from large-scale industrial plantations (1960s1970s) to village woodlots
(1970s1980s) and a people rst era (mid1980s1990s). The emphasis over these
decades has shifted toward better understanding local peoples needs and involving
them in producing fuelwood.
The key constraints in addressing fuelwood
shortages are social and political rather than
technical, and relate to full engagement and
empowerment of communities.
Future needs to improve fuelwood production include creating the right political and
social conditions for people to make informed decisions about the sort of restoration objectives they have for their landscape.
1. Background and
1.1. The Role of Fuelwood in
Forest Loss and Degradation
in Developing Countries
Forests in many developing countries are under
heavy pressure to provide subsistence goods.
The product that has received most attention
is fuelwood, as it is often the major source of
energy for cooking and heating. However, in
many situations, particularly in parts of South
Asia, forest products also provide the mineral
nutrients that are essential for the maintenance
of farming systems. In some cases the harvest
of fodder (both grass and tree leaf material)
can greatly exceed the biomass harvest of fuelwood. A common estimate of the average fuelwood requirement per family is about 200 kg
per person per year, while the average off-take
of fodder can be about 5000 kg per family
per year.284 Unrestricted biomass harvest has
been blamed for much of the deforestation and
forest degradation that has occurred in developing countries during recent decades. Whilst
the role of fuelwood collection has sometimes
been exaggerated, it has certainly contributed
to forest degradation in some places and,
particularly where collected commercially, has
caused signicant deforestation. As a consequence of fears about the impact of fuelwood
284
Gilmour and Fisher, 1991.
223
224
D. Gilmour
and fodder collection, many development

projects have focussed on forest restoration as
a solution to both environmental and economic
problems associated with forest loss and
degradation.
In theory, forest restoration for fuelwood
should be amongst the easiest forms of restoration, with its uncomplicated emphasis on rapid
growth of a few species that burn effectively.
Experience in places where forest restoration
for fuelwood has worked show that there are
few insurmountable technical difculties. However, despite years of hard work and nancial
investment, efforts to restore forests for local
human needs remain at best only partially
successful in the main centres of activity in
Africa and Asia. An understanding of why this
occurred is essential if restoration efforts are to
help provide energy and agricultural resources
to many of the worlds poorest communities.
It is possible to recognise three distinct
eras that represent different approaches to
the restoration of forest resources in these
regions:
Industrial plantation era: 1960s1970s
Woodlot era: 1970smid-1980s
People rst era: mid-1980s1990s
The summary in Table 32.1 is drawn from the
well-documented changes that have taken
place in parts of South Asia and Africa. Fuelwood projects have been implemented success-
fully, but there has also been a depressingly

long list of failures. Critical questions of equity
and access remain even in some countries
where there have been long-term and relatively
successful programmes. Similar examples can
be found in other parts of the world, although
different countries have not followed the same
time line. For example, most of Southeast Asia,
Papua New Guinea, and the Pacic and large
parts of central Africa, Latin America, and
the exSoviet Union countries are only now
coming toward the end of an era of major
industrial focus for their forests. However, most
(but not all) countries in these regions are
converging rapidly toward embracing participatory approaches for many aspects of forest
management.
In practice, many of the worlds poorest
people still rely primarily on wood products for
their energyabout half of the global population. Forest landscape restoration projects are
unlikely to be successful in areas where people
need fuelwood unless they take this into
account, and many communities will support
restoration only if they can see clear benets in
terms of fuelwood resources. Natural forests
managed primarily for fuelwood and fuelwood
plantations can both be integrated successfully
with wider efforts to restore forest area or
quality, but require a detailed understanding of
community needs, social structure, land tenure,
and access and use rights.
Table 32.1. Three eras in fuelwood plantations.

Period
Industrial plantation era
(1960s to 1970s)
Woodlot era (1970s to
1980s)
People First era
(1980s1990s)
Characteristics
Strong belief in importance of industrialisation of forestry for production of raw
materials to meet needs of expanding populations and economies; belief that increased
employment opportunities in rural areas would lead to decreased poverty
Emphasis on afforestation and village woodlots based on scaling down of conventional
forestry practices as a means to address fuelwood and desertication problems
Increased understanding about the role of trees in livelihood strategies of rural people;
less emphasis on rewood, more on management of existing forests, multiproduct
species, integration of tree-growing with agriculture in agroforestry and farm forestry
systems and on participation by target populations; an increased focus on nontimber
forest products as sources of household income and welfare and a growing emphasis
on devolution and increased participation, and on encouraging local management of
forests as common property; stronger support for legislation to empower local users,
and to protect the rights and lifestyles of forest dwellers
Adapted from Arnold, 1999, and Wiersum, 1999.
32. An Historical Account of Fuelwood Restoration Efforts
2. Examples
This section reviews fuelwood plantations
through time.
2.1. Industrial Plantation Era: 1960s

and 1970s
The key elements of this era are characterised
by technical approaches to forest restoration
and the creation of timber plantations for projected fuelwood and timber shortages; the
assumption that industrialisation of all sectors
including forestry would bring social and economic benets to all sectors of society, with the
benets trickling down; and the application of
technical and somewhat standardised approaches to management with little consideration of
existing (local or indigenous) forest use systems
and the local social and economic context.
Despite heavy investment, most of these projects failed to deliver expected benets. Furthermore, local people often suffered as a result
of removal of natural forests, loss of rights and
biodiversity, and because they missed out on
any benets that did occur. Examples of such
plantations can be found in many parts of East
Africa.
2.2. Woodlot Era: Late 1970s to

Mid-1980sFrom Industrial
Forestry to Local Needs
Forestry
As a result of the clear failures of the large-scale
projects of the 1960s, a more localised and smallscale approach to forest development was introduced through major funding to woodlot
programmes.These efforts were also boosted by
fears of energy shortages, a perceived crisis in
fuelwood, and fears that forest loss was causing
major oods and droughts. The lessons of the
previous era led to a major change in support to
forestry as international donors sponsored a
second generation of forestry activities based on
more local participation and village woodlots
established using local labour. Again, there was
an assumption that local people would resolve
long-term issues such as access and use rights.
225
But again, villagers had little involvement in

design of projects or how they were to be implemented, and as a result little attention was paid
to which trees local people consider most useful,
the long-term use of plantations, how benets
would be distributed, or the multiple roles that
trees play in production systems. Furthermore,
fast growing exotic species were generally used
to meet perceived fuelwood needs. With increasing experience, it became apparent that
woodlots across the world had also had only
very limited success.There are several important
reasons why they failed to meet their objectives.
Projects often ignored the use and management
of existing resources and multiple forestry products. Issues of tree and land tenure were not
addressed and the presence of existing institutional arrangements for managing local forests
such as forest user groups (particularly those
involving women and poor people) were often
not known or ignored. Local people would not
invest labour to protect resources from which
they had no certainty of beneting, and the costs
of participation in the programme and maintenance of the assets were generally too high.
Control-orientated regulations often meant
people had to travel great distances to get
permits to cut, process, or sell wood products.
The projects were also generally still outsiderdriven, using a standardised technical approach
imposed with poor consultation, dependent on
external funding, and target driven, aiming at
producing the maximum number of trees rather
than at the quality of forest products. Woodlots
were for instance established on a very large
scale in parts of Pakistan.
2.3. People First Era: Late 1980s

to 1990s
Following 15 years of uneven success, it became
clear that much of the failure was due to a lack
of involvement of local people in all phases of
project development and implementation. This
helped to stimulate a major shift in development philosophy and practice, with increasing pressure on governments to decentralise
functions, growing support for participatory
methodologies, and an emphasis on the importance of local determination of developmental
226
D. Gilmour
priorities. However, problems remained,

including those created by inequalities within
and between communities, inadequate consideration of livelihood constraints, and the fact
that participatory approaches are still used
more in name than in practice. Governments
have been reluctant to devolve power, and if
community organisation is weak, devolution
can lead to even greater inequities. A
groundswell of interest created international
support but sometimes pushed the rate of
change beyond the capacity to implement.
Some of the experiments in community driven
forestry in parts of Nepal and northern India
characterise this approach.
3. Outline of Tools
It is clear that the key constraints in addressing
fuelwood and fodder shortages are social and
political rather than technical; once a community is fully supportive of and empowered to
implement local forest restoration, then the
technical means are either already in place or
can be easily learned. A wide suite of tools for
community-based forest management already
exists:
Participatory approaches to resource and
needs assessments
Community mapping of land tenure and access
Conict resolution
Small-scale forestry techniques
In the context of a broader forest landscape
restoration programme, establishment of either
plantations or seminatural forests for fuelwood
will frequently be one part of a wider restoration effort. An important component of any
approach, therefore, is the negotiating skills
necessary to agree on where fuelwood will be
prioritised within the landscape (see Negotiations and Conict Management).
4. Future Needs
Each of the three eras discussed in this chapter
had problems associated with it. Some of the
problems highlighted must be resolved in order
to ensure that the processes being established

can be sustained into the future and that the
outcomes deliver the desired social and environmental benets. Many of the challenges that
are raised relate to broader issues of restoration within a landscape, for example, how to
optimise land use within the landscape to
include fuelwood plantations but also other
land uses. Among the challenges that need to
be addressed to ensure long-term sustainable
outcomes are the following:
Improved knowledge to manage forests for
multiple products
Mechanisms to manage trade-offs between
multiple interests
Full representation of all interest groups
(particularly women and poorer people)
Development of representative, accountable,
and competent local organisations
Development of representative, accountable, and competent government forest
organisations
Embedding forest restoration within an
understanding of livelihood strategies
Emphasis on quality of processes rather than
rapid delivery of products irrespective of
quality
Top-to-bottom change in attitudes, behaviour, and commitment to participatory approaches within forestry and other land
management organisations
Devolution of power within forestry organisations to staff in the eld
Policy and legislation in support of new approaches to forest restoration
References
Arnold, J.E.M. 1999. Trends in community forestry in
review. Community Forestry Unit, FAO, Rome.
Gilmour, D.A., and Fisher, R.J. 1991. Villagers,
Forests and ForestersThe Philosophy, Process
and Practice of Community Forestry in Nepal.
Sahayogi Press, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Wiersum, K.F. 1999. Social forestry: changing perspectives in forestry science or practice? Thesis,
Wageningen Agricultural University, The Netherlands (ISBN 90-5808-055-2).
32. An Historical Account of Fuelwood Restoration Efforts
Additional Reading
Hobley, M. 1996. Participatory forestry: the process
of change in India and Nepal. Rural Development
Forestry Study Guide No. 3. Overseas Development Institute, London.
227
Thomson, J., and Freudenberger Schoonmaker, K.

1997. Crafting institutional arrangements for
community forestry. Community Forestry Field
Manual No. 7, FAO, Rome.
Westoby, J. 1987. The Purpose of Forests: the Follies
of Development. Basil Blackwell, Oxford.
33
Restoring Water Quality and Quantity
Nigel Dudley and Sue Stolton

Water quality and quantity are decreasing,
with direct impact on peoples lives.
There appears to be a clear link between
forests and the quality of water from a catchment, a more sporadic link between forests
and the quantity of water, and a variable link
between forests and the constancy of ow.
The potential role of restoration with respect
to water supply needs to be considered on a
case-by-case basis and on a long time-scale.
Far better tools and methodologies are
needed for calculating net gains of different
restoration and management actions from
the perspective of water supply.
There is also a need to better understand the
linkages between water supplies and forest
cover to help use these links as arguments
for restoration.
1. Background and
Water is, in theory, a renewable resource. Yet,
the proigacy with which it has been used,
coupled with population growth and increasing
per capita demands, means that provision
of adequate, safe water supplies is a major
228
concern.285 World water withdrawals rose

sixfold over the last century, and it is estimated
that we already use well over half of accessible
runoff. For several countries, reliance on nonrenewable (or only slowly renewable) groundwater sources masks a problem that will
become more acute as these are exhausted. In
1998, twenty-eight countries experienced water
stress or scarcity (dened as being when available water is lower than 1000 cubic metres per
person per year); by 2025, this is predicted to
rise to 56 countries. Overall, our main water
requirements are for crop irrigation, but the
need for clean drinking water is also critically
important. Today, around half of the worlds
population lives in urban areas, and of these an
estimated one billion people live without clean
water or adequate sanitation, principally in
Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Annually, 2.2
million deaths, 4 percent of all fatalities, can be
attributed to inadequate supplies of clean water
and sanitation.286 These problems will increase
in the future as the rapid processes of population growth and urbanisation continue and
as climate change makes rainfall more erratic
and increases the regularity and severity of
droughts.
1.1. The Role of Forests

Loss of forests has been blamed for everything
from ooding to aridity. Although forests cer285
286
De Villiers, 1999.
United Nations Human Settlements Programme, 2003.
33. Restoring Water Quality and Quantity
tainly play a critical role in regulating hydrology, this role is complex and variable. There
appears to be a clear link between forests and
the quality of water from a catchment, a more
sporadic link between forests and the quantity
of water, and a variable link between forests
and the constancy of ow. What forests provide
depends on individual conditions, species, age,
soil types, climate, management regimes, and
needs from the catchment.287
Forests in watersheds generally result in
higher quality water than alternative land uses,
because other usesagriculture, industry, and
settlementare likely to increase pollutants
entering headwaters, and forests also help to
regulate soil erosion and sediment load. While
there are some contaminants that forests are
unable to controlthe parasite Giardia, for
examplein most cases forests will substantially reduce the need for treatment of drinking
water. However, in contrast to popular understanding, many studies suggest that in both very
wet and very dry forests, evaporation is likely
to be greater from forests than other vegetation, leading to a decrease in water from
forested catchments as compared with grassland or crops.288 One important exception is
cloud forest, where cloud water interception
may exceed losses.289 In addition, some very old
forests apparently increase water, for instance
mountain ash (Eucalyptus regnans) of 200 years
or more in Australia.290 The precise interactions
between different tree species and ages, and different soil types and management regimes, are
still often poorly understood, making predictions difcult. Opinion also remains divided
about the role of forests in maintaining regular
water ow. There is little evidence that forests
regulate major oods, although ooding was
the reason for introducing logging bans in, for
example, Thailand and parts of China. One
important exception is ooded forests, which
do appear to help regulate water supply, this
includes both lowland forests such as the
Varzea forests of the Amazon and swamps in
287
288
289
290

Calder, 2000.
Bruijnzeel, 1990.
Langford, 1976.
229
the uplands. Forested catchments have important local impacts in regulating water ow.
Undisturbed forest is also the best watershed
land cover for minimising erosion by water and
hence also sedimentation. Any activity that
removes this protection, such as litter collection, re, grazing, or construction of logging
roads, increases erosion. Suspended soil in
water supplies can render irrigation water unt
for use, or greatly increase the costs to make it
useful.291
The potential role of restoration needs to be
considered on a case-by-case basis and probably also on a long time-scale. Establishing fastgrowing plantations is unlikely to do much to
help either the quantity or the quality of water,
while carefully located and managed secondary
forests can do much to regulate sediment load,
other pollution, and erosion, and may in some
situations also eventually affect ow. Restoration for water supplies should also look at
options for reducing impacts from managed
forests through, for instance, removing unnecessary roads or changing their location, camber,
and drainage facilities.
2. Examples
The following examples show how restoration
has been used to help water supply sources and
also look at some situations where restoration
is now needed to repair damage to forested
catchments.292
2.1. Ecuador: Protection Remains

a Primary Focus of Water
Management, Although Many
Protected Areas Also Need
Restoration
About 80 percent of the capital city Quitos
1.5 million population receive drinking water
from two protected areas: Antisana (120,000
hectares) and Cayambe-Coca Ecological Reserve (403,103 hectares). To control threats to
these reserves, the government is working with
291
292

All examples from Dudley and Stolton, 2003.
230
N. Dudley and S. Stolton
a local nongovernmental organisation (NGO)

to design management plans that highlight
actions to protect the watersheds, including
stricter enforcement of protection to the upper
watersheds and measures to improve or protect
hydrological functions, protect waterholes,
prevent erosion, and stabilise banks and slopes,
including restoration where necessary.
2.2. U.S.: Comprehensive Land Use

Planning, Including Protection
and Restoration, Helps to
Protect Urban Water Supplies
The Catskill, Delaware, and Croton watersheds
deliver 1.3 billion gallons of water per day
to New York City and the metropolitan area,
and the Catskill/Delaware watershed provides
90 percent of the citys drinking water. The
Catskill State Park (IUCN Category V, 99,788
hectares) protects the watersheds. New York
City has used a mixture of land acquisition and
conservation easement payments to increase
the level of protection and therefore avoid the
need for building an expensive new treatment
plant; this choice was backed by New Yorkers
in a vote. Once land has been acquired, management will focus on maintaining water
quality, although recreational uses like shing,
hiking, and hunting may be allowed in cases
where it will not conict with water quality and
public safety. Here restoration focusses on
restoring values for water across a whole
catchment.
2.3. Sweden: Even in Commercially

Managed Forests, Management
and Restoration Can Be
Tailored to Maintain HighQuality Drinking Water
Lake Mlaren and Lake Bornsjn supply
Stockholms water. The company Stockholm
Vatten controls most of the 5543 hectares
watershed of Lake Bornsjn, of which 2323
hectares, 42 percent, is productive forestland
certied by the Forest Stewardship Council.
Management is focussed on protecting water
quality, and areas are left for conservation and
restoration.
2.4. Panama: Reforestation in

Catchments Is Starting to Be
Seen as a Potential Way of
Improving Water Quality
Panama Citys and Colons drinking water
comes from the watershed of the Panama
Canal. It has been estimated that if 1000
hectares/year of deforested land in the watershed were reforested, it would not be necessary
to construct a proposed dam, and on this basis
new laws were passed to promote forestation of
the Panama catchments. However, World Bank
consultants concluded that forests would not
necessarily improve dry season stream ow and
questioned whether the evidence justied using
public funds to reforest pasture. Meanwhile the
director of watersheds and the environment of
Panamas canal ministry said that his department would support massive reforestation efforts to protect the canals water supply.
2.5. Kenya: Degradation Can

Undermine Forest Watershed
Values, Thus Increasing the
Need for Restoration
Nairobi has a population of three million residents and draws its water from several different sources, including the Ruiru, Sasumua,
Chania II, and Ndakaini systems. Unfortunately, illegal logging is impacting on much of
the region including the Aberdares National
Park (IUCN Category II, 76,619 hectares), and
Mt. Kenya National Park (IUCN Category II,
71,759 hectares), which are both important in
supplying Nairobi with drinking water. According to the water resources minister, Martha
Karua, the future for ensuring sustainable
water supplies lies in harvesting rainwater,
building reserves from dams, and replanting
trees. This is a long-term vision, which will not
produce results in an instant, but we want to
look back ve years, ten years, fteen years
later and say our forest cover now is 40
percentand this can be achieved.
The above examples show a growing understanding of the potential role of forests but also
33. Restoring Water Quality and Quantity
and that those who receive the services

should pay for their provision. If particular
management systems are needed in watersheds to maintain the quantity or quality of
water supply downstream, the userssuch as
bottling plants or hydropower companies
should pay for these, which could in theory
help to fund restoration in sensitive watersheds.294 A team of researchers from the
United States, Argentina, and the Netherlands has put an average price tag of $33
trillion a year on fundamental ecosystem
services, almost twice the value of the global
gross national product, and of this, water regulation and supply were estimated to be
worth $2.3 trillion.295 In Costa Rica users
such as hydropower companies are sometimes paying farmers to maintain forested
watersheds. Payment schemes work best
when a relatively small amount of money can
be used to support a particular management
regime and result in major economic benets to a small group of userslike a water
company. In these cases it is relatively easy to
identify reasonable payments and to negotiate amongst the buyers and sellers of the
environmental service.
some continuing confusion, and it is clear that

many governmentslocal and nationalare
faced with making decisions about the role of
forests with respect to water supplies that draw
more upon hearsay than strict science.
3. Outline of Tools
In general, watershed values are an additional
argument for restoration rather than being
associated with specic restoration techniques.
Information for policy makers about the value
of different forested watersheds remains scarce,
and models for predicting responses in individual catchments are at best approximate.
Restoration for water purposes within individual catchments will vary according to circumstances and will be able to draw on many of the
tools outlined elsewhere. Two approaches may
be particularly useful here:
Protect, manage, restore: Using forest cover
to maintain water supplies at a watershed
scale often requires a mosaic approach,
where protected areas, other protective forests, and various forms of management are
combined depending on existing needs and
land ownership patterns. Restoration then
becomes a management option that can be
used in any of the above. Agreeing on the
mosaic and balancing different social, economic, and environmental needs on a landscape scale requires careful planning and
negotiation. WWF and IUCN have developed a number of landscape approaches to
help address this kind of broad-scale decision
making,293 and these or similar exercises
could provide help in determining where
restoration could be used most effectively
(see more detail in Why Do We Need
to Consider Restoration in a Landscape
Context).
Payment for environmental services (PES):
The central principles of the PES approach
are that those who provide environmental
services should be compensated for doing so,
4. Future Needs
Many governments are making decisions about
forests and water based on imsy data and poor
methodologies, leading to the type of disputes
outlined in the case of Panama, above. Far
better tools and methodologies are needed for
calculating net gains of different restoration
and management actions from the perspective
of water supply, and WWF is currently planning
to collaborate with the World Bank to help
develop them. More basically, there is need for
greater understanding of the links between
forests and water, perhaps initially through
better diffusion of existing research and case
studies.
294
293
231
295

Constanza et al, 1997.
232
N. Dudley and S. Stolton
References
Aldrich, M., et al. 2004. Integrating Forest Protection, Management and Restoration at a Landscape
Scale. WWF, Gland, Switzerland.
Bruijnzeel, L. 1990. Hydrology of Moist Tropical
Forests and Effects of Conversion: A State of
Knowledge Review. UNESCO, Paris.
Calder, I.R. 2000. Forests and hydrological services:
reconciling public and science perceptions. Land
Use and Water Resources Research 2(2):112.
Constanza, R., et al. 1997. The value of the worlds
ecosystem services and natural capital. Nature
387:253260.
De Villiers, M. 1999. Water Wars: Is the Worlds
Water Running Out? Phoenix Press, London.
Dudley, N., and Stolton, S. 2003. Running Pure: The

Importance of Forest Protected Areas to Drinking
Water. WWF and the World Bank, Gland,
Switzerland, and Washington, DC.
Langford, K.J. 1976. Change in yield of water following a bushre in a forest of Eucalyptus regnans.
Journal of Hydrology 89:87114.
Pagiola, S., Bishop, J., and Landell-Mills, N., eds. 2002.
Selling Forest Environmental Services: MarketBased Mechanisms for Conservation and Development. Earthscan, London.
United Nations Human Settlements Programme.
2003. Water and Sanitation in the Worlds Cities:
Local Action for Global Goals. UN-Habitat and
Earthscan, London.
34
Restoring Landscape for Traditional
Cultural Values
Gladwin Joseph and Stephanie Mansourian

Some values provided by forests can be
essential to a culture. The restoration of
these cultural values can be a major objective of restoration in a landscape.
Cultural values need to be considered along
with economic and ecological values to make
forest landscape restoration effective.
Often the restoration of traditional knowledge must go hand in hand with the restoration of certain species in order to sustain its
continued protection and use.
Restoring for diverse cultural values encompasses a wide range of land holdings and
tenure systems, and therefore needs to be
culturally and geographically specic.
1. Background and
People rely on forest products for basic subsistence but also for a range of other values.296 Traditional cultural values that have coevolved
with local ecosystem goods and services are
integral to a communitys health, food, livelihood, art, and spiritual needs. Degradation of
ecosystems impacts the entire cultural lifestyles
of these communities, generally leading to
296
continued erosion of traditional knowledge

systems.
Cultural traditions and values are as heterogeneous as ecosystems and their life forms.
However, these values and traditions are under
threat by external factors associated with global
change such as globalisation, population
growth, inequity in distribution of wealth and
livelihood options, and climate change. These
macro-drivers have cascading and complex
impacts at the local levels on biodiversity and
the traditional knowledge associated with it.
1.1. Cultural Values Are Lost with

the Loss of Natural Forests
Cultural values provided by forests are both
impacted by and impact on restoration. As
forests are lost, so are the numerous values they
provide. For instance, different wood essences
that may be necessary for a communitys religious rites may become more difcult or impossible to obtain. Thus the loss in forests could
lead to the decline in local cultural values that
have for centuries protected the land and its
resources.
1.2. Cultural Values Can Help

Promote Restoration
Specic cultural values can be used as a trigger
for restoration. In degraded landscapes, a
number of the identied forest functions and
values to restore may be cultural. For instance,
the forestry sector in Scotland has signicantly
233
234
G. Joseph and S. Mansourian
evolved from a timber-based industry to a more

community and culturally centred one, in
response to demands from local people for
recreational and aesthetically pleasing native
woodlands representative of their own cultural
identity (rather than nonnative plantations,
with all that those implied).297
1.3. Cultural Keystone Species

In the same way that an ecosystem is dependent on ecological keystone species, an entire
culture or society may be dependent on cultural
keystone species (CKS).298 These species are by
denition central to the survival and essence of
a culture for a number of reasons, including
their link to the cultures myths, rituals, religion,
etc. Identifying these CKS and using them to
promote forest protection and restoration in a
landscape can be a valuable contribution to the
restoration of forest functions in a landscape.
Restoring ecosystems to strengthen traditional cultural lifestyles will follow the priorities and needs of the local communities. For
example, medicinal plants can be incorporated
into a kitchen herbal garden, a communitymanaged medicinal plant garden, or used to
restore degraded lands. This would also imply
the need to work with appropriate institutions.
Food and nutritional needs could also be incorporated into these land-use systems depending
on local preferences and needs.
2. Examples
2.1. Coca in the Amazon299
In various indigenous communities (Barasana,
Desana, Uitoto, etc.) in the Amazon, coca is
considered to facilitate cultural transmission of
knowledge from elderly individuals to young
adults. By chewing the powdered coca leaves,
sages and apprentices attempt to please the
Masters of Nature (semideities in their cosmology) with a valued gift. The importance of the
coca plant for these communities lies in its
essential role to allow communications with the
297
298
299
Garforth and Dudley, 2003.

Cristancho and Vining, 2004.
Drawn from Cristancho and Vining, 2004.
supernatural beings governing nature, and thus

it plays a central role in their very cultural
identity.
Coca is also indispensable in major rituals
such as the ritual of world healing and illness
prevention (Yurupar), the seasonal feasts
offered by the community to the Masters of
Nature to thank them for particular harvests,
and the healing ceremonies led by the sage.
In this example, coca holds a unique value for
local people provided by the Amazon forest,
and it can be used as an objective to restore
forest functions in the landscape. In other
words, in an effort to meet different functions
that forests provide in a landscape, the provision of coca can be one of these identied functions in order to satisfy a culturally driven
demand.
2.2. Sacred Groves, Forests,

and Gardens
Sacred groves, forests, and gardens are associated with places of worship in several traditions
around the world. These patches of forests and
diverse gardens are rich in biodiversity and are
protected for their sacred value. All products
available from these sacred groves are used for
temple-related activities or structures. Cultural
values have preserved and can also drive the
restoration of these historic sacred groves. The
Devara kadus in India300 are an example
of these sacred forests. Devara kadus are
diversity-rich forest fragments ranging from
0.1 to 1000 hectares in size that are associated
with places of worship across India. The sacred
traditions and texts could provide the creative basis for promoting the conservation and
restoration of these sacred land-use systems.
2.3. Socially and Economically

Valuable Trees
Several species of trees have locally signicant
values that could be used to drive restoration in
the landscape. Multiple economic and cultural
values are historically linked to a specic ethnically dened region. For example, in certain
regions in India, the common tropical dry300
Kushalappa and Bhagwat, 2001.
34. Restoring Landscape for Traditional Cultural Values
deciduous Neem tree (Azadirachta indica) symbolises a body of traditional values, knowledge,
and uses. Almost all parts of the tree are used in
medicine and agriculture.The leaves are used in
traditional health systems, in religious rituals,
and as green manure in agriculture. Oil is extracted from the seeds and has both medicinal
and pesticidal properties. Neem cake which is a
by-product of oil extraction is used as an organic
fertiliser. The wood has a high caloric value as
fuelwood. Neem wood is termite resistant and
used to make door and window frames. Species
with multiple values may be candidates to drive
region-specic restoration of these species (and
others) within the broader landscape.
2.4. Home Gardens

Home gardens have been described as living
gene banks of indigenous varieties, rare cultivars, landraces, and species, as well as introduced species.301 These multiple species have
been conserved through generations. The selection of plants in these gardens is inuenced
by climate, soils, household preferences, and
dietary habits. Home gardens in the tropics are
a valuable land-use system to restore traditional fruits, nuts, medicinal plants, and other
indigenous species of cultural value to local
communities.
3. Outline of Tools
3.1. Toolkit for High Conservation
Value Forests
WWF and ProForest302 have developed a
toolkit to identify high conservation value
forests (HCVFs). This is an all-encompassing
approach that recognises six different values
the forests provide, one of which is cultural:
HCV6Forest areas critical to local communities traditional cultural identity (areas of
cultural, ecological, economic, or religious signicance identied in cooperation with such
local communities).
This methodology provides guidance on
existing information at a global level, and direc301
302
Agelet et al, 2000.

Jennings et al, 2003; also see www.proforest.com.
235
tion for identifying forest values. For each of

the six types of high conservation value (HCV),
the toolkit identies a series of elements that
need to be considered. It then provides guidance for each element on how to decide
whether there are HCVs within a country or
region. When national HCVs have been
dened, it is then possible to use this information so that specic forest areas can be evaluated for the presence or absence of the HCVs,
in order to identify and delineate HCVFs.
3.2. A Participatory Process

If cultural values are to be used as an objective
of forest restoration in a landscape, a participatory process will be necessary, and it may
include the following steps:
Document the traditional knowledge with
local people to identify cultural drivers for
the restoration of forest functions in a
landscape.
Together with local people, identify the current status of those cultural values.
Through focus groups, discussions, and other
locally applicable participatory tools, identify
the links between those cultural values and
other forest functions that may need to be
protected and restored.
In conjunction with stakeholders, set objectives for the protection and restoration of the
identied cultural values.
Develop locally adapted approaches, such as
biodiversity-rich agroforestry, to restore cultural and other forest values in the landscape.
Promote traditional knowledge pertinent to
the local area through local schools and other
local civic and user forums.
3.3. Clarifying Land Tenure and

Access (Use) Rights
Processes that help clarify land tenure and
access/use rights to valuable forest products are
essential to protect and restore valuable forest
areas. Appropriate protocols may be developed
for restoring under different land-tenure
regimes (also see Land Ownership and Forest
Restoration).
236
G. Joseph and S. Mansourian
3.4. Ethnobotanical Surveys

Potential cultural keystone species may be
uncovered through surveys.The results can then
be used to promote adequate protection, management, and restoration of these resources.
4. Future Needs
Some identied needs for the future include the
following:
To document and exchange information
about successful models of restoration for
cultural values, and also where cultural
values have driven restoration
To increase understanding of potential cultural indicators and drivers of restoration,
which requires more collaborative work
among anthropologists, sociologists, and
ecologists
To integrate socioecological landscape-level
approaches to culturally driven land-use
systems such as home gardens and sacred
groves to understand the process at a larger
spatial scale
To develop appropriate extension methods
to enhance the diffusion of culturally driven
restorative land-use systems
To build capacity in adaptive and participatory research methods in restoration
To develop/rene and use a holistic-systems
approach to natural resource management;
in most contexts, planning and management
for conservation, sustainable-use, and restoration have to be developed together
rather than as separate components.
References
Agelet, A., Bonet M.A., and Valles, J. 2000. Home
gardens and their role as a main source of medicinal plants in mountain regions of Catalonia
(Iberian Peninsula). Economic Botany 54(3):
295309.
Byron, A., and Arnold, M. 1997. What Futures for the
People of the Tropical Forests? CIFOR occasional
paper 19.
Cristancho, S., and Vining, J. 2004. Culturally Dened

Keystone Species. Human Ecology Review 11(2):
153164.
Garforth, M., and Dudley, N. 2003. Forest Renaissance. Published in association with the Forestry
Commission and WWFUK, Edinburgh and
Godalming.
Jennings, S., Nussbaum, R., Judd, N., et al. 2003. The
High Conservation Value Toolkit. Proforest,
Oxford (three-part document).
Kushalappa, C.G., and Bhagwat, S.A. 2001. Sacred
groves: biodiversity, threats and conservation. In:
Uma Shaanker, R., Ganeshaiah, K.N., and Bawa,
K.S., eds. Forest Genetic Resources: Status,Threats
and Conservation Strategies. New Delhi, India,
Oxford and IBH.
Additional Reading
Baidyanath, S. 1998. Lifestyle and ecology.
http://www.ignca.nic.in/cd_08.htm#BAIDH
Borthakur, S.K., Sarma, T.R., Nath, K.K., and Deka,
P. 1998. The house gardens of Assam: a traditional
Indian experience of management and conservation of biodiversityI. Ethnobotany 10:3237.
Fernandez, E.C.M., and Nair, P.K.R. 1986. An evaluation of the structure and functions of tropical
homegardens. Agroforest Syst 21:279310.
Malhotra, K.C. 1998. Anthropological dimensions of sacred groves in India: an overview. In:
Ramakrishnan,
P.S.,
Saxena,
K.G.,
and
Chandrasekara, U.M., eds. Conserving the Sacred
for Biodiversity Management, pp. 423438. New
Delhi, India, Oxford and IBH.
Palni, L.M.S., Joshi, M., Agnihotri, R.K., and Sharma,
S. 2004. Crop diversity in the home gardens of the
Kumaun region of central Himalaya, India. PGR
Newsletter, No. 138:2328. FAO-IPGRI.
Ramakrishnan, P.S.R. 1998. Conserving the sacred
for biodiversity: the conceptual framework.
In: Ramakrishnan, P.S., Saxena, K.G., and
Chandrasekara, U.M., eds. Conserving the Sacred
for Biodiversity Management, pp. 315. New
Delhi, India, Oxford and IBH.
Soemarwoto, O., Soemarwoto, I., Karyono
Soekartadireja, E.M., and Ramlan, A. 1985. The
Javanese home garden as an integrated agroecosystem. Food and Nutrition Bulletin 7:4447.
Torquebiau, E. 1992. Are tropical agroforestry home
gardens sustainable? Agriculture, Ecosystems and
Environment 41:189297.
Wiersum, K.F. 1982. Tree gardening and the examples of agroforestry techniques in the tropics.
Agroforestry Systems 1:5370.
Case Study: Finding Economically

Sustainable Means of Preserving
and Restoring the Atlantic Forest
in Argentina
Stephanie Mansourian and Guillermo Placci
The Atlantic Forest of Brazil, Argentina, and

Paraguay is one of the most threatened
ecosystems on the planet, with only 7.4 percent of it remaining intact and large areas
severely degraded and highly fragmented.
Despite its current state, the Atlantic forest
remains a rich repository of biodiversity. For
example, inside the Atlantic forest, in the state
of Bahia, 450 species of trees per hectare have
been catalogued, a world record!303
It is in northern Argentina, that one of the
largest remnants of the Atlantic forest can still
be found. In this area, Fundacin Vida
Silvestre Argentina (FVSA) is working with
WWF to restore the landscape. One particular
area, namely the municipality of Andresito,
has been identied as a priority. It is a strip of
land surrounded by four important strictly
protected areas: the famous transboundary
Iguaz National Parks of Brazil and
Argentina, the Urugua- Provincial Park, and
the Foerster Provincial Park. The land in
Andresito is divided into many small privately
owned areas. The challenge is to work with the
landowners and land managers to stop deforestation and forest degradation, to increase
connectivity with the surrounding protected
areas, and to establish buffer zones around
them, while increasing local living standards.
The approach taken here by FVSA and
WWF was rst to map out clearly the different plots of land and identify the landowners
303
Di Bitetti et al, 2003.
and land uses. Second, a series of test sites

were set up to identify the sorts of restoration
techniques and mixes of species that would
work best under local conditions. Then, a
sustainable development and participatory
planning learning process was mobilised gathering provincial and municipal ofcers,
farmers, indigenous people, and members of
NGOs and other private and public institutions. As a result of this, the participants
committed themselves to working toward
the accomplishment of a land-use plan, and
a local commission was created with this
goal.
Also, to ensure an income-generating activity alongside forest restoration for local populations, FVSA and WWF have been working
on developing sustainable production of different crops. One such crop is the palm heart
(Euterpe edulis), a native understorey palm
tree that grows wild in the region and can
generate signicant income for local inhabitants while preserving the forest. Another
alternative for small-scale farmers is planting
yerba mate, a native plant that used to grow
in patches throughout the forests.
So far, guidelines for the production of
palm hearts have been developed and a cooperative of small-scale producers has been set
up. Results are encouraging. If more small
landowners can make a living through such
sustainable restoration involving economically attractive measures, then the risk of them
moving south and selling their land to big
237
238
S. Mansourian and G. Placci
logging companies can be removed once and

for all.304
References
Di Bitetti, M.S., Placci, G., and Dietz, L.A. 2003.
A Biodiversity Vision for the Upper Paran
Atlantic Forest Ecoregion: Designing a Biodi304
FVSA Nawsletter, 2004.
versity Conservation Landscape and Setting

Priorities for Conservation Action. WWF,
Washington, DC.
FVSA. 2004. Newsletter: News from the FLR
Project in the Upper Paran Atlantic Forest of
Argentina. FVSA. Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Section XI
A Selection of Tools that Return
Trees to the Landscape
35
Overview of Technical Approaches to
Restoring Tree Cover at the Site Level
Stephanie Mansourian, David Lamb, and Don Gilmour305

There is no unique goal and trajectory for
restoration.
Tools for restoration should be selected to
achieve one or more targets depending on
the specic context.
Various restoration tools could be used, some
of which are presented in this chapter.
1. Background and
A variety of approaches are available to carry
out restoration at the site level, and this chapter
provides an overview of them.
Interventions can be viewed along a continuum from passive to more active ones. The
more passive the intervention, the more reliant
one is on having sufcient germ plasm (seed
sources or coppice material) available at or
near the site. Passive interventions are the
cheapest approaches, although the costs of preventing continued disturbances or degradation
can sometimes be high. However, there are
often circumstances requiring some form of
direct intervention (i.e., active restoration).
Examples of these situations are where topsoil
has been eroded or soil has been heavily compacted by cattle, where invasive species have
come to dominate the site or if some other
disturbance (e.g., re) has altered the natural

balance and natural regeneration will either be
extremely slow or will no longer occur.
More active forms of intervention are also
needed when the passive approaches are likely
to be slow or too risky. These interventions can
take a variety of forms including enriching
natural regeneration with species that may not
be present (e.g., plants with large fruit that are
often poorly dispersed) or planting a large
number of different species, fertilising them,
and carrying out weed control until the planted
seedlings are established. The most appropriate
approach depends on both the ecological and
the socioeconomic circumstances prevailing.
Two prime considerations in determining
what approaches to take to restore an area are
the objectives set for the intervention, and
the budget available.
Different objectives require different approaches. One could think of several quite
different situations that would require very
distinct approaches to site-level restoration.
Several examples follow:
Restoration of woodland to provide habitat
for endangered fauna (see Example 1 in the
next section)
Restoration of an abandoned quarry for
aesthetic purposes (see Open-cast Mining
Reclamation)
305
This paper is based to a large extent on Lamb and

Gilmour, 2003.
241
242
S. Mansourian et al
Restoration of an endangered ecosystem (as

is currently occurring with the dry forests in
New Caledonia)
Restoration of millions of hectares of
degraded uplands primarily for economic
development (as is currently occurring in
Vietnam)
Similarly, the available budget will also be a
key determinant when deciding what approach
to take. For example, it might be economically
necessary to use a variety of different approaches across a landscape, rather than using just
the most effective biological approach, particularly if this is also very expensive. The most
expensive approaches would normally be used
to restore the most critical sites.
Before determining which action to take at
the site level, a careful assessment needs to be
made, based on ecological circumstances such
as the fertility of soils, the extent of degradation, the proximity of remaining forest fragments, the types of species involved, the
topography, rainfall, seasonality, etc. Social
aspects need just as much attention as biophysical ones when determining what approach to
take to restoration. For example, many local
communities exercise usufruct rights over land
adjacent to their settlements. Irrespective of
the legal status of the land, unless the de facto
situation is addressed effectively, it is unlikely
that restoration efforts will be successful. We
would generally recommend always opting for
the least intervention possible. This is to (a)
attempt to stay closest to natural processes but
also (b) because the more active the intervention, the costlier it is likely to be.
2. Examples
2.1. Natural Regeneration
Combined with Grazing in
Corrimony (Scotland)306
In 1997 the Royal Society for the Protection of
Birds (an NGO) acquired land in Corrimony,
Scotland. The main objective was to increase
habitat for capercaillie and black grouse. The

long-term vision was to have at least two thirds
of woodland cover restored with an emphasis
on natural regeneration. However, because 99
percent of natural regeneration is broadleaf,
it was decided to plant copses of Scots pine
(Pinus sylvestris) in areas that were remote
from seed sources. When the pines mature they
will be able to regenerate naturally from their
own seed. In addition, to achieve a habitat
mosaic that also supports black grouse and
other species of conservation interest, some
grazing areas have also been retained. Preliminary observations suggest that this approach is
effective.
2.2. Restoration of Temperate

Forest Through Mixed
Plantations in Canada307
Larson308 presents one of the earliest modern
examples of forest restoration in the deciduous
hardwood forest region of eastern Canada,
which started in 1886. The site was an old gravel
pit in which 2300 saplings of 14 different species
were planted in a mixture. These included local
deciduous hardwoods and conifers as well as
several exotics (Acer platanoides, Fraxinus
excelsior, Larix decidua, Picea abies, Pinus
nigra, and Tilia cordata). Some of these 14
species were planted in rows spaced 2.5 m
apart. No subsequent site management was
carried out apart from some early pruning. The
nearest natural forest was 500 m away. By 1930
around 85 percent of the site had a sparse
canopy, 31 percent of which was coniferous. By
1993 the canopy cover had increased to 95
percent, of which only 5 percent was conifer.
The site, then 107 years old, contained 220 trees
with a diameter at breast height exceeding
30 cm. Of the original 14 canopy-forming tree
species, 10 were still present. Two new species
had colonised. A diverse understorey of woody
and herbaceous plants contained 36 species,
most of which were reproducing. Some of the
canopy trees were regenerating and were rep307
306
Cowie and Amphlett, 2000.
308

Larson, 1996, in Lamb and Gilmour, 2003.
35. Overview of Technical Approaches to Restoring Tree Cover
resented in the understorey but Picea, Larix,

and Pinus were absent. Measurements suggest
Juglans nigra (native) and Acer platanoides
(exotic) will dominate the site in future. All new
tree regeneration was found in areas with no
conifers. The patterns of community structure
that have evolved over time at the site are different from those in the native forests of southern Ontario but changes are leading to the
development of a forest with a similar structure
and appearance. One recent measure of the
success of the planting is the fact that local
authorities mistakenly listed the site as an
important natural forest remnant within the
local city boundary.
2.3. Restoring Tree Cover Through

Agroforestry in Tanzania309
Studies in Tanzania have found that the
Shambaa people use their traditional agroforestry and intercropping systems to improve
both soil productivity and crop yields. The
traditional agroforestry system consists of a
multistorey tree garden, which involves the
mixing of trees and farm crops in a spatial
arrangement. The system includes a mixture of
an understorey of coffee (and fruits), food
crops such as maize/beans and a variety of
pulses, a middle storey of Grevillea robusta, a
multipurpose exotic species commonly used for
timber, fuelwood, and building poles production. The sites are not restored in the sense of
reestablishing the original biodiversity. On the
other hand, these sites have had key ecological
functions such as nutrient cycling and net production restored. They are now oristically and
structurally quite complex.
3. Outline of Tools:
Approaches to Site-Level
Restoration
Restoration at a site level often needs to integrate social approaches, such as agreements
about land use to facilitate natural regenera309
Chamshama and Nduwayezu, 2002.
243
tion, with technical approaches to increase

natural regeneration or enhance regeneration
through planting where natural regeneration
will no longer occur.
3.1. Reducing Degrading Inuences

3.1.1. Removing the Cause of
Degradation or Obstacles
to Regeneration
In some situations restoration can be achieved
through the use of natural regeneration simply
by the removal of degrading inuences such
as cattle grazing or invasive exotic species.
Technical interventions may also be needed,
but often the emphasis needs to be on social
processes, such as negotiating grazing rights
with local cattle herders.
By protecting the area from any further
disturbances (e.g., grazing, farming) natural
colonisation may take over. However, this is
only feasible in areas where
general degradation is not extensive,
soils are still of good quality, or
seed sources or coppice materials are still
available either from forests close by or in
the soil (as evidenced by regrowth already
present in the area).310
3.1.1.1. Advantages and Disadvantages

This approach is often cheaper since it requires
little input, particularly if communities are able
to eliminate grazing animals from the area.
Costs can rise steeply if areas have to be fenced,
but this is still generally cheaper than planting.
It is also one of the few approaches that can be
achieved over large areas. On the other hand,
its disadvantages include that it may end up
being unexpectedly expensive if re, weeds, or
pests need to be controlled. Likewise, the
previous land users will have had to forgo
their previous use of the site and may need
compensation.
310
Parrotta et al, 1997.
244
S. Mansourian et al
3.2. Initiating or Improving

Tree Cover
3.2.1. Directing Ecological Successions
Directing ecological successions can be done in
a number of ways, using different species and
approaches. The aim and desire is to initiate a
process whereby nature takes over. The following points need to be considered when attempting to stimulate natural succession:
The founder effect: The initial species
chosen will have a determining effect on the
future succession in the landscape, which
cannot always be anticipated.
Using nearby intact forests: The nearer to an
intact forest, the more chance of obtaining
seeds via seed dispersers, and wind, and
therefore the higher success rate. It should be
noted, though, that different species from the
intact forest will colonise at different rates.
Using wildlife to accelerate ecological
processes: It can be useful to use animals for
processes such as pollination and seed dispersal, but in many instances this can be
constrained by incomplete knowledge of the
exact relationships. Alternatively, some key
species may have disappeared from the
region or be unable to move across the
degraded landscape.
Using disturbances: At some point in the
restoration process the natural disturbance
regime must be allowed to develop to
prevent successions from being diverted or
stagnating. For example, while restoration
projects in re-prone landscapes often
require re protection in the rst few years
to ensure seedlings become established, at
some stage res must be allowed or be reintroduced to ensure that normal successional
processes can begin to develop.
Ecological surprises: (1) Predators may
harvest all the seed. (2) Successions may
become dominated by a small number of
aggressive species causing competitive exclusion and a decline in biodiversity. (3) Trees
established to attract seed-dispersing wildlife
may become focal points for weed colonisation. (4) The removal of exotic herbivores
may allow grass fuel loads to increase and re

regimes to change. In all cases constant monitoring is needed to ensure that restoration
continues as planned.
3.2.2. Stimulating Natural Successions

If natural regeneration does not occur or proceeds only slowly, it may be possible to accelerate the process. This might be done by
removing weeds or reducing competition
between existing species. Thinning to reduce
tree density can open the canopy and can
provide more opportunities for new species to
colonise the site. Where soils are infertile,
added fertilisers can enhance growth rates.
This requires relatively few inputs. However, it
is less likely to work in areas where soils have
been badly degraded and seed sources or
coppice material are no longer available.
3.2.3. Direct Seeding

If sites are bare of trees it may be useful to
overcome any dispersal problems by deliberately introducing certain species. Most reforestation is usually carried out by planting
seedlings that have been raised in a nursery.The
seedlings are commonly planted into a site that
has been cleared of weeds and ploughed to
ensure the seedlings develop quickly. The costs
of raising seedlings, site preparation, and planting are high. Direct seeding bypasses these
steps by sowing seeds directly on bare land.This
can be done either manually or aerially.
Direct seeding is relatively cheap as it does not
require nurseries to raise seedlings. Its disadvantages are that seeds are often subject to
predators, and the young seedlings are very vulnerable to weed competition. The number of
seedlings actually produced from seed can be
very low. Therefore, a very large number will
need to be sown, recognising that a large proportion will not survive. For this reason, this
approach is not suitable for species for which

seeds are not available in large quantities or
where seed is expensive.
3.2.4. Scattered Tree Plantings

Trees may only gradually colonise some sites
because they are poorly dispersed or because
the competition (e.g., from grass) is too severe.
Another way of accelerating successions is by
planting single trees or clumps of trees across
the landscape. The aim is for them to serve as
perches for seed dispersers such as birds. Over
time, they can become focal points for regeneration. Where species have wind-dispersed seed
rather than animal-dispersed seed, such plantings can be arranged perpendicular to the prevailing wind and so assist seed dispersal across
the landscape.
This approach is relatively inexpensive since it
only requires a few plantings. However, it is
dependent on wildlife being able to disperse
seeds from intact forest remnants that remain
nearby. The numbers of such wildlife that
remain in degraded landscapes and their capacity to disperse seeds will vary with circumstance.
3.2.5. Enrichment Planting

In some situations the forest community developing from natural regeneration is missing
certain key species. This may be because they
have particular regeneration requirements or
because they are poorly dispersed. The absence
of these species may have economic consequences for the people dependent on these
forests for their livelihoods. Alternatively the
missing species may be important to the ecological functioning of the forest. In such cases it
can be useful to try enriching the regenerating
forest by planting seedlings of these species in
appropriate microsites.
This approach enhances the capacity of the
forest to provide commercial or social benets
245
by promoting the growth of certain key species.

The disadvantage of the approach is the risk
that any newly planted trees may be suppressed
for some time by the overstorey. That is, the
introduced species can be out-competed by
taller trees, weeds, or vines. Some form of silvicultural treatment is often required for several
years to remove this cover and ensure success.
3.2.6. Closely Spaced Plantings

Using Limited Numbers of
Species (the Framework
Species Method)
This approach uses a small number of fastgrowing species planted at close spacings
(e.g., 1000 trees per hectare) to quickly form a
closed canopy and so eradicate weeds. This new
forest then forms a framework within which
successional processes can operate. Over time
seed-dispersing wildlife bring new species to
the site and diversity is enhanced.

The advantage of this approach is that once the
trees are established, they soon out-compete
grass and weeds, making it easier for the species
brought in by seed-dispersing animals to
become established. The approach is especially
suited to areas close to intact forest that can act
as a source of seeds (and wildlife). The disadvantage is that successional development is
dependent on the particular species that are
dispersed into the site. Some species may be
weeds so that monitoring is needed to maintain
an appropriate successional trajectory. The
initial cost can also be high.
3.2.7. Intensive Ecological

Reconstruction Using Dense
Plantings of Many Species (or
Restoring a Biodiversity Island in
a Degraded Landscape)
This involves intensive planting of a large
number of tree and understorey species. The
species used depend on the sites and soil types.
Those that might be used include fast-growing
246
S. Mansourian et al
species able to exclude weeds, poorly dispersed

species, species forming mutually dependent
relations with wildlife, and, possibly, rare or
endangered species that might be present only
in small numbers or in small geographic areas.
Since the method bypasses the normal successional sequence the species used should come
mostly from late successional stages, rather
than early pioneer stages.
Because this is a good way to quickly establish
a species-rich community, it is especially suitable for areas needing rapid restoration. On the
other hand, it is comparatively expensive to
raise and plant such large numbers of species
and many may not survive if their site and
habitat requirements are not fully understood.

Intensively managed plantations can yield a
high commercial value. Plantations of indigenous species also provide some modest biodiversity benets. The key disadvantage of using
indigenous species is that little is usually known
about their silvicultural requirements and most
are comparatively slow growing.
3.3.2. Monoculture Plantations and

Buffer Strips
Industrial plantations are often large and are
established as continuous blocks. This leads to
the simplication of landscapes. Breaking these
extensive plantations up by using buffer strips
of native vegetation or ecologically restored
forests along streamsides and roads can add
complexity and habitat diversity.
3.2.8. Managing Secondary Forests

Careful management could allow the gradual
improvement of economic resources as well as
biodiversity and other ecological services at
minimal cost. Another approach might be to
foster the growth of certain tree or other plant
species that are commercially attractive by
removing or thinning competing trees. The
choice of options depends on the origins of
the forest and the range and abundance of the
species it contains.
3.3. Reforestation for Productivity

and Biodiversity
3.3.1. Monoculture Plantations Using
Indigenous Species
Monoculture plantations are comparatively
easy to establish and manage since all trees
mature at the same time. Traditionally many
such plantations have used exotic species. The
timbers of these species are often of relatively
low value. Some indigenous species can have
much higher commercial values than fastgrowing exotic species. Plantations of higher
value timbers may be increasingly valuable in
future once natural forests have been logged
over.

Buffer strips can help enhance conservation
benets by introducing more spatial complexity to a landscape and increasing connectivity
allowing easier movement of plants and wildlife
across landscapes. These strips or corridors can
have a number of other benets, including
acting as re breaks and streamside lters to
enhance watershed protection.
3.3.3. Mosaics of Species Monocultures

Instead of using only one species in a plantation, an alternative could be to use more than
one and create a mosaic of different types of
plantations across the landscape. The landscape
diversity could be further enhanced by surrounding each monoculture by buffer strips as
described above.
The advantage of this alternative is that silvicultural management of each plantation remains simple; the disadvantage is that precise
species-site relationships must be known if productivity in each of the different plantations is
to be maximised.
3.3.4. Mixed Species Plantations

Site biodiversity may be enhanced if mixed
species plantations are used instead of monocultures. These might be temporary mixtures
where one species is used for a short period as
some form of nurse or cover crop, or they may
be permanent mixtures for the life of the plantation. Most mixed-species plantations usually
have only a small number of species (under
four), so biodiversity gains may be modest.
Mixtures can often generate benets in addition to any biodiversity gain. These potential
benets include improved production, improved tree nutrition, and reduced insect or
pest damage. There may also be nancial gains
from combining fast-growing species (harvested early in a rotation) with more valuable
species that need longer rotations. Disadvantages include the fact that not all species
combinations are necessarily compatible and
an inappropriate mix of species may lead
to commercial failure. Also, having two or
more species in a plantation necessarily leads
to more complex forms of silviculture and management. This means that mixtures are likely to
be more attractive to smallholders and farm
forestry woodlots than large industrial-scale
plantations.
3.3.5. Encouragement of Understorey

Development
In many plantation forests, especially those
near areas of intact forest, an understorey of
native tree and shrub species will develop over
time with many of the species being dispersed
by animals. What began as a simple monoculture forest can acquire structural complexity
and considerable biodiversity.
Such understories transform the range of services provided by the plantation. There can be
benets in terms of watershed protection and
re exclusion as well as biodiversity gains.
247
However, they pose a number of dilemmas for

managers who may nd their original objectives being compromised or, at the very least,
made more difcult to achieve. Difcult tradeoffs may need to be made.
3.3.6. Agroforestry
Agroforestry is a form of agriculture that mixes
trees and other crops in the same area of land
(see Agroforestry as a Tool for Forest Landscape Restoration). Some forms involve mixtures of multipurpose trees and food crops;
others combine scattered trees and pastures.
In most cases a variety of species are used
in the farm or home garden that differ in
canopy and root architecture, phenology, and
longevity.
Agroforestry has some particular advantages in
landscapes where land for food production is
limited and where human populations are large
or increasing. Agroforestry creates spatial and
structural complexity across landscapes and
offers the prospect of agricultural sustainability
and some biological diversity. On the negative
side, biodiversity gains may be modest since
many of the species used are relatively common
agricultural crop species.
4. Management
Considerations
4.1. How Many Species?
Restoration is often carried out to reestablish
biological diversity and to also restore key ecological processes and functions. One unresolved
question is the number of species needed to
achieve this latter objective. Must all species be
reestablished, or is there a point beyond which
increases in species richness may not provide
any further benets? The answer to the question is still unresolved, although it seems that
species richness per se may not be as important
as the structural or functional types of species
that are used in reforestation. It is also clear
248
S. Mansourian et al
that relationships present at small, local scales

may not hold at larger landscape scales.
4.2. Trade-Offs
Inevitably some trade-offs may be required by
managers needing to balance, say, promoting
commercial timber production or fostering
wildlife diversity. Production, at least in the
short term, is usually favoured by developing
plantations that use only small numbers of tree
species. Most wildlife species, on the other
hand, usually prefer species-rich and structurally complex forests. The nal decision
depends on such things as the preferences of
the stakeholders involved, whether commercial
timber production is the primary objective of
reforestation, markets for the various goods
that might be produced, and the degree of
degradation across the landscape.
4.3. Intensity and Timing of

Management Interventions
Managers concerned with maximising timber
production will make decisions on a variety of
interventions including whether or not to prune
trees, when to carry out thinnings, and when to
undertake a nal clear-felling. All of these decisions have consequences for biodiversity and
various ecological processes such as nutrient
cycling. Biodiversity is usually favoured by
enhanced spatial complexity. This means interventions that promote a mosaic of disturbances
and recovery stages are preferable to large, spatially contiguous interventions.
5. Future Needs
While many approaches are available for
restoring forest cover on degraded sites, it is
often a challenge to gather adequate knowledge on the use of indigenous species. For this
reason, a handful of exotic species (particularly
pines, eucalypts, and acacias) are still favoured
in many locations. These species often display
superior growth characteristics compared with
indigenous tree species. In addition, the seed of
these species are often easily acquired and they
come as a silvicultural package with established procedures and methodologies.

In most countries there is still insufcient
knowledge on genetics, propagation techniques, competitive relationships between different species, and methods of raising most
native species in nurseries.
A comprehensive framework that would
help managers make choices based on the
current situation but also based on funding,
available human resources, size of the area, aim
of the restoration, etc., is needed. This framework would also have to include socioeconomic
elements, as these are often forgotten or left
behind in technical issues dealing with restoration. Yet, without appropriate consultation,
buy-in, and suitable social and economic
reasons for engaging in restoration, success
rates are unlikely to be high. Land tenure issues
are particularly important to clarify before
engaging in restoration.
Very importantly, there is a need for
increased understanding and research on
options to make restoration nancially attractive. In many countries, long-term interests
(restoration impact will only be felt in the long
term) are not important as people face daily
struggles. There is therefore a need to address
this through short-term nancial benets from
restoration (directly or indirectly). Institutional
arrangements for restoration also need to be
claried. Restoration across a landscape requires a multidisciplinary and multisectoral
approach, and relevant institutions and expertise need to be brought in with all stakeholders
actively participating in the process.
References
Chamshama, S.A.O., and Nduwayezu, J.B. 2002.
Rehabilitation of Degraded Sub-Humid Lands in
Sub-Saharan Africa: A Synthesis. Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania.
Cowie, N.R., and Amphlett, A. 2003. Corrimony: an
example of the RSPB approach to woodland
restoration in Scotland. In: Humphrey, J., Newton,
A., Latham, J., et al. eds. 2003. The Restoration of
Wooded Landscapes. UK Forestry Commission,
Edinburgh, Scotland.

Restoration of Degraded Forests. IUCN, Gland,
Switzerland, and Cambridge, UK, and WWF,
Gland, Switzerland.
Parrotta, J.A., Turnbull, J., and Jones, N. 1997. Catalyzing native forest regeneration on degraded
tropical lands. Forest Ecology and Management
99(12):18.
Additional Reading
Carnus, J.-M., Parrotta, J., Brockerhoff, E.G., et al.
2003. Planted forests and biodiversity. A IUFRO
contribution to the UNFF Intersessional Expert
Meeting on the Role of Planted Forests in
Sustainable Forest Management, Maximising
planted forests contribution to SFM, Wellington,
New Zealand, March 2430. In: Buck, A., Parrotta,
J., and Wolfrum, G., eds. 2003. Science and
TechnologyBuilding the Future for the
Worlds Forests and Planted Forests and Biodiversity. IUFRO Occasional Paper No. 15. International Union of Forest Research Organisations,
Vienna.
Engel, V.L., and Parrotta, J.A. 2001. An evaluation of
direct seeding for reforestation of degraded lands
249
in central So Paulo State, Brazil. Forest Ecology

and Management 152(13):169181.
Lamb, D., Parrotta, J.A., Keenan, R., and Tucker,
N.I.J. 1997. Rejoining habitat remnants: restoration of degraded tropical landscapes. In: Laurence,
W.F., and Bierregaard, R.O., Jr., eds. Tropical
Forest Remnants: Ecology, Management and Conservation of Fragmented Communities. University
of Chicago Press, Chicago, pp. 366385.
Parrotta, J.A. 1993. Secondary forest regeneration on
degraded tropical lands: the role of plantations as
foster ecosystems. In: Lieth, H., and Lohmann,
M., eds. Restoration of Tropical Forest Ecosystems, pp. 6373. Kluwer Academic Publishers,
Dordrecht, Netherlands.
Parrotta, J.A. 2002. Restoration and management of
degraded tropical forest landscapes. In: Ambasht,
R.S., and Ambasht, N.K., eds. Modern Trends in
Applied Terrestrial Ecology, pp. 135148. Kluwer
Academic/Plenum Press, New York.
Parrotta, J.A., and Knowles, O.H. 2001. Restoring
tropical forests on bauxite mined lands: lessons
from the Brazilian Amazon. Ecological Engineering 17(23):219239.
Sim, H.C., Appanah, S., and Durst, P.B., eds. 2003.
Bringing back the forests: policies and practices
for degraded lands and forests. Proceedings of an
International Conference, October 710, 2002,
FAO, Thailand.
36
Stimulating Natural Regeneration
Silvia Holz and Guillermo Placci

Stimulating natural regeneration can be
achieved in a number of ways, such as
removing disturbances, enclosures, eliminating barriers, disperser management and
spatial distribution of species within the
restoration landscape.
The art of restoring a forest landscape consists, to a large extent, of the strategic selection, combination, and adequate use of
different methods for each stage and for
each case.
The principal needs for developing restoration projects based on stimulating natural
regeneration are (1) to continually study the
ecological processes, (2) to develop monitoring systems and statistical methods to
compare different types of data at different
scales, (3) to implement environmental education programmes, and (4) to develop
strategies to decrease operative costs and to
increase incentives for stimulating natural
regeneration.
1. Background and
Forests can regenerate in previously forested
areas once the land ceases to be used for alternative purposes (e.g., grazing, agriculture, wood
250
extraction). However, the recovery process can

be extremely slow or inhibited in highly
degraded ecosystems. The principal challenges
for those working in forest restoration are to
evaluate a forests potential for recovery and, if
necessary, to accelerate this process. Stimulating natural regeneration generally entails a
lower nancial cost than other restoration
strategies, making it an attractive option for
restoring large sections of land.
Natural regeneration can follow different
trajectories and velocities according to how the
different variables act in the system that is
undergoing recovery. Variables such as light,
humidity, temperature, availability of seeds and
young trees, predation, and the structure of
initial vegetation determine the successional
trajectory of each site. This implies that, in
general, succession in a region does not follow
a linear and unique trajectory, but manifests
itself in a whole range of stable and transitional
states with different likely outcomes.311 Thus, a
great variety of restoration alternativesmodelled from the specic characteristics of the
system and the specic objectives of the
restoration projectcan be proposed for a
given system that are compatible with the likely
outcomes of the natural succession that would
otherwise occur.
The rst step in the process of stimulating
forest recovery involves identifying the principal factors that are acting as barriers or as
facilitators to regeneration. Once these
311
Vallejo et al, 2003.
36. Stimulating Natural Regeneration
factors have been identied, they can be manipulated to accelerate forest regeneration. Most
studies have identied dispersion, competition
with herbaceous plants, and poor soil conditions as being the most important barriers for
tree settlement in abandoned farmlands312 (also
see section Restoring After Disturbance in
this book). These studies highlight the importance of physical as well as biological barriers.
On the other hand, trees, bushes, ferns, and
fallen trees can also facilitate the natural recovery of an area.313 The remaining vegetation
attracts dispersers; microclimatic conditions
that favour the regeneration of young trees
develop underneath this vegetation, which can
thus serve as regeneration nuclei.314 The relative inuence of each factor on regeneration
depends on each system and on the temporal
and spatial scale in which the analysis is carried
out. Restoration methods that use natural
regeneration are based on barrier elimination,
stimulation of facilitating factors, or the combined manipulation of both types of factors. In
selecting the best methods for restoring the
forests of a particular area, it is extremely
important to study the forests intensively, in
order to understand their behaviour at different scales.
Several factors limit the successful application of restoration methodologies based on
stimulating natural regeneration:
Lack of seed sources and dispersers: In many
cases, there are no forest remnants that can
behave as seed sources at restoration sites;
therefore, natural regeneration possibilities
remain restricted to the existing soil seed
bank. In other cases, there are nearby forests
but no seed dispersers due to the low number
of animals (e.g., birds, mammals) in the area;
thus, natural regeneration may be largely
conned to species whose seeds are dispersed by wind.
Uncertain directionality: Allowing natural
regeneration to occurwithout controlling
the species pool that is allowed to occupy a
restored areadoes not guarantee a high
312
313
314
Holl, 1999.
Peterson and Haines, 2000.
Guevara et al, 1986.
251
diversity of species in a forest. This may limit

the success of restoration efforts in improving economic value for future wood exploitation or other specic activity.
Difculty in obtaining a high forest species
diversity: In addition to insufcient seeds, in
areas with scarce or degraded forest remnants, there may be the added complication
that some species will simply not be able to
settle, thereby creating a forest with more
limited diversity of species.
Length of time required: A naturally regenerating forest goes through more successional states, and thus requires more time to
reach a state similar to a mature forest than
does a plantation composed of diverse
species.
2. Examples
Natural regeneration can be used in very different ways when dening a landscape restoration strategy. Some examples of different
methods are illustrated below:
2.1. Use of Diversity Nuclei

The littoral area of southern Brazil, formerly
covered by Serra do Mar (Atlantic forest), is
now severely deforested (Fig. 36.1). Currently,
numerous actions are being carried out to
preserve the remaining forests, and to restore
the deforested areas.315 Tree cover restoration
in the Environmental Protection Area of
Guaraqueaba, is being aided by a strategy in
which small stands of pioneer species (i.e.,
generally 1000 to 5000 young trees) are planted
in the surrounding, more diverse stands (i.e.,
composed of pioneer species, initial secondary
species, late secondary species, and climax
species). The latter are either planted or are
fragments of already existing forests in the
area.316 Plantations are carried out either in the
whole area being restored or in half of this area,
depending on the size of the area, its proximity
315
See Sociedade de Pesquisa em Vida Selvagem e

Educao Ambiental (SPVS). www.spvs.org.br.
316
Ferretti, 2002.
252
S. Holz and G. Placci

Figure 36.1. Abandoned pastures in
Antonina Reserve (Atlantic forest,
Brazil), where the natural regeneration is limited by grass competition.
(Photo Silvia Holz.)
to forest patches, and the degradation of the

system. Planted trees function as seed sources
facilitating natural regeneration in the whole
area.The treatment given to the soil (e.g., cleaning of grasses), the distance at which young
trees are planted, and their size are selected
according to site characteristics (e.g., type of
soil, topography, and use history).
2.2. Framework Species Trees

Ecologically and socially appropriate methods
for accelerating the forest recovery process
within protected areas are being investigated in
the seasonally dry tropical forest of the mountains of northern Thailand.317 The framework
species concept (i.e., the use of pioneer and
climax species that strongly facilitate, more
than other species, the natural regeneration of
the area) has been adapted in this case. The
main characteristics of framework species trees
are: (1) high survival when planted at degraded
sites; (2) rapid growth; (3) dense and spreading
crown cover that shades out herbaceous weeds;
(4) owering and fruiting, or provision of other
resources, attractive to wildlife at a young age;
(5) resilience to burning (in systems with a dry
season); and (6) reliable seed availability, rapid
and synchronous seed germination and pro-
duction of healthy seedlings in containers.

Combinations of 20 to 30 species are used for
plantations. These plantations signicantly aid
in the recovery of the basic structure of forests
that grow naturally, resist disturbances, and
attract seed-dispersing animals, thereby facilitating the natural regeneration of forests within
the restoration area.
2.3. Remaining Vegetation as

Facilitators of Regeneration
A great part of the Mediterranean Forests of
Guadalajara in Spain has been transformed by
wood extraction and grazing into scrublands
with few tree species. In the Tonda de Tamajn
woodland, native species are being introduced
to increase biodiversity and accelerate the
natural regeneration of the forest.318 Tree and
shrub species are selected using as criteria fruit
type as well as the ecological niche that each
one occupies. Efforts are made to increase the
proportion of species that are used as food by
wild boar populations (an important economic
resource of the area). The remaining vegetation
in the area is used as nurse trees, whereby
planting the young trees below the preexisting
individuals protects them from sun exposure
and against predation.
317
See Forest Restoration Information Service. www.unepwcmc.org/restoration/.
318
See World Wide Fund for Nature, Espaa. www.wwf.es.
253
Figure 36.2. Cattle pasture (left)

and regenerating forest (right) 2
years after cattle was excluded in
experimental plots in Andresito
(Atlantic forest, Argentina). In this
place, tree planting and grass cleaning was necessary during the rst
year of exclusion. (Photo Silvia
Holz.)
2.4. Elimination of Invasive Species

by Planting Economically
Important Native Species
The area of Andresito, in northeast Argentina,
has been identied as a key area for the conservation of the Upper Paran Atlantic Forest
(Fig. 36.2); remaining forests there can guarantee the connectivity of the great forest masses
of Brazil and Argentina.319 In the framework of
a project on Forest Landscape Restoration that
involves a large number of people and institutions, different restoration methodologies are
being investigated.320 A particular problematic
issue is the invasion of forests degraded by a
native plant species behaving as an invasive, the
tala (Celtis sp.), thus inhibiting natural regeneration. The strategy used in this case consists of
the mechanical elimination of tala, followed by
the plantation of yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis)a native tree species used in infusions, and
a key product of the regional economy.321 The
fruit of yerba mate attracts birds, facilitating the
natural regeneration of the area. Growth of
canopy species is stimulated through selective
cutting, in order to obtain a yerba mate production system under forest cover. Therefore, in
319
Di Bitetti et al, 2003.

See Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR). http://www.
panda.org/forests/restoration.
321
Holz, 2003.
320
addition to restoring a degraded area, an effort

is also made to improve the nancial opportunities of local farmers. This increases the likelihood that they will implement the restoration
strategy, and that these restored areas will be
preserved in the long term.
3. Outline of Tools
There is a wide variety of tools that can be used
to stimulate natural regeneration. The art of
restoring a forest landscape depends heavily on
the selection, combination, and appropriate use
of different tools for each stage and for each
particular case.
Management of early stages of natural regeneration in secondary forests: Natural regeneration is the most effective and economical
way of restoring slightly degraded areas, with
a good seed bank in the soil and forest remnants nearby. However, even these relatively
intact systems should be monitored periodically to evaluate the need to carry out enrichment plantations.
Closures: At sites with high numbers of herbivores, natural regeneration can be stimulated by limiting animal grazing, thereby
allowing the growth of woody plants.
Elimination of barriers using cattle and other
animals: Cattle grazing can be an effective,
easy, and inexpensive way to decrease the
254
322
323
324
biomass of grasses that compete with young

treesin cases where the tree species are
themselves not palatable to cattle.322
Elimination of barriers through mechanical
and/or chemical methods: The soil compaction that retards the settlement of
young trees can be eliminated through, for
example, ploughing. Grasses can be eliminated through herbicide application, manual
weeding (e.g., using a cane knife), or
mechanical weeding (e.g., with weeding
machines).
Installation of racks to facilitate regeneration: Where existing vegetation does not
present a signicant barrier to natural regeneration, articial racks (e.g., crosses, sticks, or
wires) on which birds can perch can be used
to increase the seed rain in an area and,
therefore, help accelerate site regeneration.
In systems with grasses that retard regeneration, natural racks (e.g., trees, bushes) are
often more effective, since they increase the
seed rain as well as acting as shaders, decreasing grass coverage.323
Planting a few species to stimulate regeneration: The selective planting of a few tree
species can help stimulate natural regeneration by (1) offering additional perches for
seed dispersers such as birds, and (2) shading
out competing plants.
Spatial distribution of species within the
restoration landscape: The presence of
species of different ecological groups
strategically located within the landscape
can help accelerate natural regeneration at
this scale, as well as lowering signicantly the
costs that would be incurred by planting
young trees throughout an entire restoration
area. Planted stands with high species diversity, as well as remnant forests in the landscape, can function as diversity islands,
providing seeds to the area throughout the
restoration process.324
Disperser management: Another possible
tool for stimulating natural regeneration is
to try to increase the number of dispersers
Posada et al, 2000.
Holl et al, 2000.
Kageyama and Gandara, 2000.
(e.g., birds, mammals) in an area. This can be

achieved by decreasing hunting activities and
pesticide use, reintroducing species, and creating wildlife corridors.
4. Future Needs
4.1. Increase Current Knowledge
It is crucial to continue studying the following
issues in order to be able to develop restoration
actions based on natural forest regeneration:
Species ecology: Little is known about the
phenology, reproductive biology, interactions
with other species (e.g., pollination, seed dispersion, herbivory/predation) of many plant
species.
Dynamics of ecological succession: Restoration involves the manipulation of the natural
succession process; therefore, it is necessary
to know the factors involved in the natural
regeneration of the system and the mechanisms through which they function.
Behaviour of the system at different scales:
For many systems, there is little information
on patterns and processes operating at different scales.
4.2. Development of Monitoring

Systems and Statistical Tools
to Compare Different Types
of Restoration
Monitoring systems, as well as statistical
methods for comparing different types of data
at different scales, are tools that need to be
developed for adjusting current restoration
methodologies. Detailed records of the history
of site use and implemented restoration
practices, as well as the use of standardised
monitoring protocols, would facilitate such
comparisons.325 The use of nontraditional statistical methods (e.g., Bayesian methods) can
allow for more efcient evaluation of restoration methods, because they are more robust
when working with small samples, with no
325
Holl et al, 2003.
replicates, or with much noise in the system, and

they also allow for the combination of different
types of data.326
4.3. Implementation of
Environmental Education
Programmes
In general, recovery areas are perceived as nonproductive areas. If people can identify and
appreciate the multiple functions of these areas,
the potential for preserving the forest will
increase, as will possibilities of implementing
restoration projects in which natural regeneration will play a key role. This issue is particularly important in the development of
educational programmes.
4.4. Financing of Restoration

Processes
The development of strategies for decreasing
operating costs and increasing incentives for
stimulating natural regeneration is essential in
applying the restoration methods developed at
the experimental scale to the restoration of
large areas. For example, it is important to consider the increase in the production capacity of
the restored area, compensation for the opportunity cost for landowners, payment for environmental services, and the implementation of
tax incentives.
References
Di Bitetti, M.S., Placci, G., and Dietz, L.A. 2003. A
biodiversity vision for the Upper Paran Atlantic
Forest ecoregion: designing a biodiversity conservation landscape and setting priorities for conservation action. WWF, Washington, DC.
Ferretti, A.R. 2002. Modelos de plantio para a restaurao. In: A Restaurao da Mata Atlantica
em reas de sua Primitiva Ocorrncia Natural.
Embrapa Florestas, Colombo, pp. 3543.
Guevara, S., Purata, S., and Van der Maaler, E. 1986.
The role of remnant forest trees in tropical secondary succession. Vegetatio 66:7784.
326
Marcot et al, 2001.
255
Holl, K. 1999. Factors limiting tropical rain forest

regeneration in abandoned pasture: seed rain, seed
germination, microclimate and soil. Biotropica 31:
229242.
Holl, K.D., Crone, E.E., and Schultz, C.H.B. 2003.
Landscape restoration: moving from generalities
to methodologies. BioScience 53(5):491502.
Holl, K.D., Loik, M.E., Lin, E.H., and Samuels, I.A.
2000. Tropical montane forest restoration in Costa
Rica: overcoming barriers to dispersal and establishment. Restoration Ecology 8(4):339349.
Holz, S. 2003. Atlantic Forest restoration in the
buffer zone of Iguaz National Park (Argentina).
Technical Report (not published).
Kageyama, P., and Gandara F. 2000. Recuperao de
areas ciliares. Captulo: 15. In: Rodriguez, R., and
Filho, L., eds. Matas Ciliares: Conservao e Recuperao. Edusp, So Paulo, Brazil.
Marcot, B.G., Holthausen, R.S., Raphael, M.G.,
Rowland, M.M., and Wisdom, M.J. 2001. Using
Bayesian belief networks to evaluate sh and
wildlife population viability under land management alternatives from an environmental impact
statement. Forest Ecology and Management 153:
2942.
Peterson, C.J., and Haines, B.L. 2000. Early successional patterns and potential facilitation of woody
plant colonization by rotting logs in premontane
Costa Rica pastures. Restoration Ecology 8(4):
361370.
Posada, J.M., Aide, T.M., and Cavelier, J. 2000. Cattle
and weedy shrubs as restoration tools of tropical
montane rainforest. Restoration Ecology 8(4):
370379.
Vallejo, R., Cortina, J., Vilagrosa, A., Seva, J.P., and
Alloza, J.A. 2003. Problemas y perspectivas de la
utilizacin de leosas autctonas en la restauracin forestal. In: Rey, J.M., Espigares, T., and
Nicolau, J.M., eds. Restauracin de Ecosistemas
Mediterrneos. Universidad de Alcal, Alcal de
Henares, pp. 1142.
Additional Reading
Guariguata, M.R., and Ostertag R. 2001. Neotropical
secondary forest succesion: changes in structural
and functional characteristics. Forest Ecology and
Management 148:185206.
Guimares Vieira, I.C., Uhl, C., and Nepstand, D.
1994. The role of shrub Cordia multispicata Cham.
as a succession facilitator in an abandoned
pasture, Paragominas, Amazonia. Vegetatio 115:
9199.
256
Holl, K. 2002. Effect of shrubs on tree seedling establishment in an abandoned tropical pasture. Journal
of Ecology 90:179187.
Janzen, D.H. 1988. Guanacaste National Park:
tropical ecological and biocultural restoration.
In: Cairns, J.J., ed. Rehabilitating Damage Ecosystems, vol. 2., CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, pp.
143192.
Nepstad, D.C.C., Uhl, C., Pereira C.A., and Cardoso
da Silva, J.M. 1996. A comparative study of tree of
tree establishment in abandoned pasture and
mature forest of eastern Amazonia. Oikos 76:
2539.
Purata, S.E. 1986. Floristic and structural changes
during old-eld succession in Mexican tropics in
relation to site history and species availability.
Journal of Tropical Ecology 2:257276.
Ramirez-Marcial, N., Gonzalez-Espinoza, M., and

Garca-Moya, E. 1996. Establecimiento de
Pinus spp en matorrales y pastizales de Los
Altos de Chiapas, Mxico. Agrociencia 30(2):
249257.
Rey-Benayas, J.M., Espigares, T., and Castro-Diez, P.
2003. Simulated effect of herb competition on
planted Quercus faginea seedlings in Mediterranean abandoned cropland. Applied Vegetation
Science 6:213222.
Slocum, M.G. 2000. Logs and fern patches as recruitment sites in a tropical pasture. Restoration
Ecology 8(4):408414.
Wunderle, J.M. 1998. The role of animal seed dispersal in accelerating native forest regeneration on
degraded tropical lands. Forest Ecology and Management 99(12):223235.
37
Managing and Directing
Natural Succession
Steve Whisenant

Carefully designed silvicultural strategies
can accelerate growth, inuence the direction of succession, increase the goods and
services provided, or enhance diversity.
Directing natural processes toward land use
goals requires an understanding of the
processes driving succession.
Tools for managing and directing natural
succession should be used as an imitation of
natural processes rather than as a substitute
for them.
1. Background and
After regeneration begins on previously forested sites, carefully designed silvicultural
strategies can accelerate growth, inuence the
direction of succession, increase the goods and
services provided, or enhance diversity.327 Selecting proper treatment options requires an
understanding of the factors limiting successional change and increases in desired species.
These treatments should be designed to assist
natural processes rather than ght them. This is
most likely to occur when forest restoration
plans (1) consider and remove the underlying
327
causes rather than the symptoms of degradation; (2) are based on an understanding of succession and threshold barriers that must be
overcome through designed interventions; and
(3) stimulate the desired successional behaviour with minimal interventions.
1.1. Consider Underlying Causes

Halting Natural Succession
Many forest restoration programmes fail
because they do not address the underlying
causes of degradation.A number of social, political, and economic factors are often the underlying cause of forest loss or degradation. It is
equally important to identify the biophysical
barriers to recovery through natural successional
processes. For example, livestock may contribute to degradation in some situations but be
an important part of the recovery plan in other
circumstances. Forests limited by excessive re
and invasive grasses may benet from cattle that
reduce fuel loads until the tree canopy begins to
close. In contrast, forests limited by livestock
that consume high percentages of developing
seedlings benet more from livestock exclusion
than from control of unsustainable harvest of
wood and nonwood forest products.
1.2. Understand Natural Succession

and Potential Threshold
Barriers
Having stimulated natural regeneration processes that establish forest species (see previous
257
258
S. Whisenant
chapter), it is necessary to manage and direct

succession processes toward the desired objectives. It is important to promote continued
development of the vegetation to conserve soil,
nutrient, and organic resources; restore fully
functional hydrologic, nutrient cycling and energy ow processes; and create self-repairing
landscapes that provide the goods and services
necessary for biophysical and socioeconomic
sustainability. Different stages of degradation
require management actions that focus on different processes. Severely degraded sites
require early repair of hydrologic, nutrient
cycling, and energy capture and transfer
processes. As the vegetation increases in
biomass and stature, it reduces abiotic limitations of the site by improving soil and microenvironmental conditions. Directing natural
processes toward land use goals requires an
understanding of the processes driving succession. The rate and direction of succession is
inuenced by the availability of species, the
availability of suitable sites, and by differential
species performance.
Previous land use has important and potentially long-lasting impacts on the rate and direction of natural succession.328 Natural succession
on abandoned farms and pastures is limited and
directed by the available seed bank, sprouting
ability of remaining stump and root systems,
seed immigration, soil type and condition, and
climatic conditions.329 Natural recovery occurs
most rapidly and completely following abandonment of pastures that were cleared by hand
and received little weeding and light grazing.
These areas benet from diverse seed banks,
nearness to seed sources, and sprouting from
stumps and roots. Moderately grazed pastures
are much less productive and diverse due to the
loss of grazing intolerant species, diminished
seed banks, and less organic matter in the upper
soil horizons. Heavily grazed, mechanically
cleared pastures are far more likely to remain
dominated by grasses and forbs following abandonment, since they are completely dependent
on seed immigration for successional development. Frequent burning prior to abandonment
328
329
Uhl et al, 1988.

Kammesheidt, 2002.
reduces the density of tree seed and sprouts.

Large treeless areas are unattractive to most
birds and bats that disperse small seeds.
Monkeys and ground-dwelling mammals that
disperse large-seed, late successional species
are even more prone to avoid open areas. Thus,
perching sites provided by isolated trees can
accelerate succession.
1.3. Design Minimal Interventions

to Achieve Goals
Will the site recover within an acceptable time
frame in the absence of active restoration
efforts? If so, will it provide the desired combination of goods and services? Answers to these
key questions may be found by examining two
types of reference sites. Selecting reference
sites that have not been damaged provides an
approximation of the potential goods and services. Reference sites that have been similarly
damaged and allowed to recover naturally for
different periods of time provide important
information on the presence or absence of barriers to recovery. This provides critically important information about the passive intervention
option. Active management interventions may
be required where invasive species, damaged
ecosystem processes, or other limitations halt
natural recovery.
If the site is not seriously degraded and seed
sources are adequate, the rst few years of succession will be dominated by herbaceous vegetation and shrubs.This will typically be followed
by early succession tree species and midsuccessional tree species will gradually become more
dominant. In lowland humid forests, biomass
peaks of early successional species occur at
around 10 years. Mid-successional species may
reach their peak biomass at 15 to 30 years, but
remain dominant for many decades. These successional changes occur more slowly in less
humid or very degraded environments.
Improving the management of ecosystem
consumption (timber or wood harvest) is
usually effective on relatively intact sites. Sites
dominated by grasses may require vegetation
control of the existing vegetation. This may be
done with re, herbicides, or mechanical or biological control methods. It may be necessary to
37. Managing and Directing Natural Succession
259
add some species through seeding or transplanting. Denuded or depauperate sites that
can neither stabilise nor achieve management
objectives require enrichment plantings.
2. Examples
2.1. Restoring Dry Tropical Forests
to Anthropogenic Grasslands
in Guanacaste National Park,
Costa Rica
Anthropogenic re converted the dry tropical
forest of Costa Rica to grasslands that continued to burn frequently. A programme begun in
the 1980s effectively stopped re and allowed
the natural reforestation by trees. The initial
forests, of species with wind-blown seed, rapidly
covered the landscape. As these trees grew
larger, seed-dispersing birds and mammals
increasingly moved through the site and added
new species to the developing forest.330 This is
an excellent example of removing barriers to
natural succession and then allowing natural
processes to operate over many decades to
return an increasingly diverse forest to the
landscape.
2.2. Plantation Trees as Nurse

Plants to Increase
Regeneration of Native Species
Tree plantations can sometimes facilitate the
return of native vegetation. In Puerto Rico, tree
plantations improved soil and microenvironmental conditions enough to facilitate the
natural immigration of native species.331 The
plantation also accelerated the return of native
species by attracting animals that brought additional seed. Tree plantations in the moist and
wet tropics do not remain monocultures
because native trees invade the understorey
and penetrate the canopy of the exotic species.
Unless site damage is extreme, native forests
eventually dominate. Where damage is more
severe, the resulting forests are likely to
330
331
Janzen, 1988.
Aide et al, 2000.
Figure 37.1. Previously mined site in Hungary that

has undergone natural regeneration for about 30
years. (Photo Steve Whisenant.)
become a combination of native and exotic

species.
2.3. Spontaneous Regeneration of

a Mine Site in Hungary
Mining is a drastic alteration of site conditions
and processes. Planting trees on these sites is
expensive and risky, thus they are often abandoned to natural processes. A mine site in
Hungary received no active replanting, but 30
years following the cessation of mining, it shows
numerous signs of spontaneous regeneration of
herbaceous and woody vegetation (Fig. 37.1).
The abundance of natural vegetation in the surrounding landscape provides seed sources. This
site will take many more decades for recovery,
but natural processes are operating in the
absence of new disturbances.
3. Outline of Tools
Tools for managing and directing natural succession should be used as an imitation of
natural processes rather than as a substitute for
them. The tools described in the previous
chapter focus on inuencing natural regeneration. They remain appropriate throughout
succession, but here is a list of tools for manipulating existing vegetation:
260
S. Whisenant
Patience: Time can be used as a tool. Wait for

signs and expression of successional trajectory. Understanding what drives and limits
succession will make it easier to recognise the
probable direction of successional change
and the potential vegetation for that area.
Knowledge of potential successional pathways:
Understanding how forest vegetation recovers following disturbances is a critical aspect
of directing natural successional processes.
Know what prevents improvement and remove that limiting factor.
Fencing: Where livestock delay, limit, or prevent successional development, fences that
restrict livestock entry are one method for
increasing seedling development. This may
only be necessary until the seedlings grow out
of reach of the livestock (or fences may also
be more permanent for continued benets).
Direct removal of invasive species: Invasive
species may be killed or removed with herbicides, mechanical treatments, or hand removal to release native species. These tools
may be expensive or very labour intensive, so
their practicality is often limited to small or
high priority sites.
Reducing invasive species with shade: Shadeintolerant invasive species are most effectively managed with tree species and
management strategies that accelerate the
occurrence of closed canopies. For example,
establishing forests on re-prone grasslands
requires the prevention of res until the
forest canopy effectively excludes the
grasses.
Thinning to reduce density or alter species
composition: Selective thinning may be used
to provide products and income while
increasing growth rates of the remaining
trees. It may also be used to encourage
regeneration and growth of certain desired
species while reducing the abundance of
more common species.
Enrichment plantings: Sites with no regeneration of shade-requiring late successional
species may necessitate enrichment plantings
under the canopy of earlier successional
species. Enrichment plantings add species to
sites where they are unlikely to enter through
natural processes. They are most useful
where the desired species, or suite of species,

are neither present nor found in adjacent
forests.
4. Future Needs
Priority areas for further development are:
Policies that encourage the development of
natural, diverse forests: Government policies
can accelerate destruction of natural forests
or they can be crafted to encourage the
development of natural and managed forests
that combine production and conservation
functions and reduce pressures on natural
forests of high conservation value.
Improved understanding of successional processes and barriers to natural recovery: There
are numerous gaps in our knowledge of succession and ways in which we might encourage and direct those processes. Many factors
drive succession and similar impacts may
have dramatically different results in different ecosystems. A more mechanistic understanding of the factors limiting or accelerating
succession would greatly improve our predictive ability in new situations.
Novel strategies for payment of landscape
forest restoration: New ways to fund forest
restoration are essential. Programmes to
plant trees are more easily funded than those
designed to encourage and manage natural
regeneration. This is unfortunate because
natural succession often occurs more rapidly
and at less risk than articially planted
forests.
References
Aide,T.M., Zimmerman, J.K., Pascarella, J.B., Rivera,
L., and Marcano-Vega, H. 2000. Forest regeneration in a chronosequence of tropical abandoned
pastures: implications for restoration ecology.
Janzen, D.H. 1988. Tropical ecological and biocultural restoration. Science 239:243244.
Kammesheidt, L. 2002. Perspectives on secondary
forest management in tropical humid lowland
America. Ambio 31:243250.
37. Managing and Directing Natural Succession

Restoration of Degraded Forests. IUCN, Gland,
Switzerland, and Cambridge, UK, and WWF,
Gland, Switzerland.
Uhl, C., Buschbacher, R., and Serrao, E.A.S. 1988.
Abandoned pastures in Eastern Amazonia. I. Patterns of plant succession. Journal of Ecology
76:663681.
Additional reading
Ashton, M.S. 2003. Regeneration methods for dipterocarp forests of wet tropical Asia. Forestry
Chronicle 79:263267.
261
Feyera, S., Beck, E., and Lttge, U. 2002. Exotic trees

as nurse-trees for the regeneration of natural tropical forests. Trees 16:245249.
Parrotta, J.A. 1995. Inuence of overstory composition on understory colonization by native species
in plantations on a degraded tropical site. Journal
of Vegetation Science 6:627636.
Whisenant, S. 1999. Repairing Damaged Wildlands:
A Process-Oriented, Landscape-Scale Approach.
38
Selecting Tree Species for Plantation

Plantations are a useful tool for restoration
especially in areas where degradation is
advanced, for instance in conditions of
severe soil compaction, invasion by grasses,
and advanced fragmentation.
In many cases information is lacking on local
tree species that can be used for plantations:
site adaptability, seed sources, germination
and nursery requirements, and need for
fertilisation.
Techniques for planting and tending of
species are important to consider: need for
fertilisers, mycorrhizae, irrigation, etc.
It is always preferable to use native species
instead of exotic species, if a native species is
available and grows well in the region.
1. Background and
Tree plantations are sometimes the only alternative in restoring forest landscapes, at least in
the short term, especially on very badly
degraded soils. Low soil fertility, soil compaction after abandonment from cattle grazing,
262
and invasion by grasses and other aggressive

vegetation can be serious obstacles to natural
forest regeneration. As the area of degraded
lands expands, there is a greater need for
tree species that can grow in such conditions
and yield useful products (timber, fuelwood,
and others) as well as environmental benets (recovery of ecosystem biodiversity, soil
conservation, watershed protection, carbon
sequestration).
Tree species chosen for a plantation in the
context of forest restoration can provide benets from the tree products (timber, fuelwood,
leaf mulches, etc.), and from their ecological
effects, for example, nutrient recycling, or
attracting birds and other wildlife to the landscape. The choice of a tree species depends on
whether both productive and ecological advantages can be achieved in the same system, and
in some cases one function, either productive or
environmental, may be desired. Within a forest
landscape, the preferred choice for restoration
would be natural regeneration. Planting would
only be a secondary option, to be used in cases
where natural regeneration cannot proceed due
to the obstacles mentioned above (poor soil
conditions, long distances to seed sources, isolation, invasion by aggressive grasses). Within a
landscape context, there should be a balance of
socioeconomic goals (e.g., productivity) and
biodiversity objectives for restoration.
The following factors inuence species
choice for plantations:
38. Selecting Tree Species for Plantation
1.1. Goals
1.1.1. Target Ecosystem Productivity
and Biodiversity
Fast-growing, native pioneer species with high
productivity are recommended for the initial
stages of restoration of degraded lands. These
species can help in facilitating the environment
for later successional, longer-lived species
whose end products are more valuable (better
timber quality).
1.1.2. Saving Endangered Local Species

Preference should always be given to local
species, especially those that are endangered.
Fast-growing exotic species such as eucalypts,
acacias, or pines should be used only when
there are no available seeds of native species,
or when environmental conditions are too
harsh for any native species to survive. Exotic
tree species predominate both in industrial and
rural development plantations worldwide;
however, native trees are more appropriate
than exotics, because (1) they are often better
adapted to local environmental conditions, (2)
seeds may be more generally available, and (3)
farmers are usually familiar with them and their
uses. Besides, the use of indigenous trees helps
preserve genetic diversity and serves as habitat
for the local fauna.
Disadvantages of the use of native species
are (1) uncertainty regarding growth rates and
adaptability to soil conditions; (2) general lack
of guidelines for management; (3) large variability in performance and lack of genetic
improvement; (4) seeds of native tree species
are often not commercially available and have
to be collected; (5) high incidence of pests and
diseases (e.g., the attack of the shoot borer
Hypsipyla grandella to species of mahoganies
and cedars); and (6) lack of established markets
for many species. One of the strongest arguments for the use of native tree species in plantations is the high value of the wood and its
increasing scarcity in commercial forests. Many
native tree species of valuable timber grow well
in open plantations, with rates of growth com-
263
parable or superior to those of exotic species in

the same sites.332,333
1.1.3. End Use of Products

Most plantations whose purpose is to restore
forest landscapes also have a productive
purpose. Globally, half of forest plantations are
for industrial use (timber and bre), one
quarter are for nonindustrial use (home or farm
construction, local consumption of fuelwood
and charcoal, poles), and one quarter are for
nonspecied uses.334 Among the nonspecied
uses there are small-scale fuelwood plantations,
plantations for wood to dry tobacco, etc. Therefore, species choices reect the end use of each
plantation, while considering the purpose of
forest restoration. For example, the native
Araucaria angustifolia is used to replant
deforested regions in Misiones, in North East
Argentina, with the purpose of selling highquality timber in a 40 to 45-year rotation. Araucaria thinnings are also a good bre source. As
they are native trees these plantations also hold
local ora and fauna.
1.2. Issues Related to Use of

Native Species
1.2.1. Genetic Selection
For several native species in developing countries there may not be enough genetic selection
for the desired traits (fast growth, soil recovery,
or other). Much research has been conducted
by local institutions, universities, and ministries
of agriculture and forestry. For example in
Central America, Centro Agronmico Tropical
de Investigacin y Enseanza (CATIE) has
done genetic selection of local species such as
Cordia alliodora, Vochysia guatemalensis, and
other native species.335
332
333
334
335
Piotto et al., 2003a,b.

Montagnini et al., 2002.
FAO, 2000.
CATIE: www.catie.ac.cr.
264
F. Montagnini
1.2.2. Seed Availability

For many native species, studies on the phenology of trees may be needed (i.e., timing of
owering, fruiting, seed production, and seed
collection). In addition, there must be enough
seed storage capacity, which in some cases may
require refrigeration, desiccation, and other
procedures to accommodate seeds of tree
species from mature forest. In the case of seeds
from pioneer species, these are generally
smaller, drier, and easier to store. At CATIE in
Turrialba, Costa Rica, the seed bank has facilities suited to several native and exotic species
that can be used in forest restoration, and this
seed bank serves countries throughout Latin
America. When the information is not known,
specic tests have to be developed to understand the germination requirements and
characteristics of each seed. Finally, growing
requirements in the nursery must also be
known, including need for fertiliser, inoculation
with mycorrhizae, and time when they can be
transplanted to the eld conditions.
1.2.3. Preference by Local Farmers

Farmers most often prefer species whose silvicultural characteristics are well known, and
species that have well-dened end uses and
good markets. In many cases they also prefer
native over exotic species. Seed or seedling
availability in local nurseries is also an important factor dening farmers preferences.
2. Examples
2.1. Plantations of Native Species
for Restoration of Mine Spoils
in Southeastern United States
In the Appalachian region of the southeastern
United States, surface mining for coal has been
extensive, coal being the main source of energy
for power plants that generate electricity.
Concern about the use of exotic species for
mine soil reclamation has directed efforts
toward native species, but the choices are
narrowed considerably by the need for plant
materials that can be established readily on

adverse sites. For example, the Tennessee Valley
Authority has planted sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) and sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciua), which had performed the best in
greenhouse studies in terms of growth, drought
tolerance, and commercial value of products.336
Surface coal mine lands are covered with
grasses and other herbaceous species. The lands
are reclaimed by returning mine spoil to the
mined-out areas, grading when necessary, and
planting with aggressive cover plants that will
aid in preventing soil erosion as the trees
mature. Drip irrigation is used in the initial
establishment phases of the tree plantations.
Replanting is done as needed one year after
initial planting. These systems are successful in
recovering mine spoil lands; however, substantial investments are needed to ensure tree
establishment and growth. For example, sweet
birch (Betula lenta) has also been used in mine
reclamation because of its ability to grow on
substrates that vary widely in tilth, concentrations of toxic metals, and fertility.337 Inoculation
with ectomycorrizhae (Pisolithus tinctorius)
resulted in higher seedling biomass and better
nutrient and water uptake. Inoculation with
mycorrhizae is thus recommended to allow this
species to ourish on surface mine spoils without heavy application of chemical fertilisers.
2.2. Mixed Plantations with Native

Species for Restoration of
Degraded Pastures at La Selva
Biological Station, Costa Rica
Twelve native tree species were planted in
mixed and pure plantations on degraded pasturelands at La Selva Biological Station in the
Caribbean lowlands of Costa Rica, with the
objectives of recovering soils and ecosystem
biodiversity. There were three plantations, each
with four species: Plantation 1: Jacaranda
copaia, Vochysia guatemalensis, Calophyllum
brasiliense, and Stryphnodendrom microstachyum; Plantation 2: Terminalia amazonia,
Dipteryx panamensis, Virola koschnyi, and
336
337
Brodie et al., 2004.

Walker et al., 2004.
Paraserianthes sp., Plantation 3: Hieronyma

alchorneoides, Vochysia ferruginea, Balizia
elegans, and Genipa americana. In each plantation there was one nitrogen-xing species, a
relatively fast-growing species, and a slowergrowing species. The criteria for species selection were growth rate and economic value,
potential impacts on soils and nutrient cycling,
and seedling availability.338 At 2 to 4 years of
age, mixed plantations had greater growth and
lower pest damage than pure stands for three
of the 12 species tested, and there was no
damage or no differences between pure and
mixed conditions for the other species. The
costs of plantation establishment were lower
for the slower-growing species in mixed than in
pure stands. When plantations were 9 to 10
years old, most species had better growth in
mixed than in pure plantations. However, the
slower-growing species grew better in pure than
in mixed stands. Mixed plantations (combinations of three to four species) ranked among
the most productive in terms of volume.339
Mixed plantations had a more balanced nutrient stock in the soil: 4 years after planting,
decreases in soil nutrients were apparent in
pure plots of some of the fastest growing
species, while benecial effects such as
increases in soil organic matter and cations
were noted under other species. The mixed
plots showed intermediate values for the nutrients examined, and sometimes improved soil
conditions such as higher organic matter.
The mixtures ranked high in terms of carbon
sequestration in comparison with the pure plots
of faster-growing species.340,341 The mixtures of
four species gave higher biomass per hectare
than that obtained by the sum of a quarter
hectare of each species in pure plots.342
2.3. Examples from Temperate

Europe
During the last decade there have been increasing afforestation activities in several European
338
339
340
341
342
Montagnini et al., 1995.

Piotto et al., 2003b.
Montagnini and Porras, 1998.
Shepherd and Montagnini 2001.
Montagnini, 2000.
265
countries. In Denmark, afforestation of former

arable land with oak (Quercus robur) and
Norway spruce (Picea abies) has been done
extensively. An evaluation of soils under these
plantations with ages ranging from 1 to 29
years, and a mixed plantation with both species
(200 years of age) showed considerable accumulation of organic matter in the tree biomass
and in the soil, especially in the older stands.343
In the southwestern Alps in France, the forest
service has attempted forest restoration of badlands for erosion control since 1860, with the
exotic Pinus nigra (Austrian black pine).
The pines were expected to serve as nurse for
the native broadleaved vegetation. A study
done 120 years following reforestation showed
that pines were too dense to allow for enough
natural regeneration under their canopy: thinning and enrichment planting would be needed
to accelerate regeneration of native species.
The reestablishment of indigenous tree species
was not inhibited by lack of nearby seed
sources or by soil fertility. Thinning would facilitate the dissemination of seeds of the native
species. Patches of native trees planted in
enrichment could serve as additional seed
sources of native species.344
3. Outline of Tools
3.1. Genetic Selection
Both tree breeding and silviculture have
improved growth rates of several industrial
species of eucalypts and pines. Good examples
are Eucalyptus grandis and E. urophylla in
Brazil. Much genetic improvement has been
done by private companies, especially for the
most frequently used species of pines and eucalypts. Research on other species, including
indigenous trees, is underway at universities
and other research institutions. For some native
species, genetic improvement has advanced
with trials of seed origin and progenies, the rst
step in the domestication of a species. For
example, for Cordia alliodora, Vochysia
343
344
Vesterdal et al., 2002.

Vallauri et al., 2002.
266
F. Montagnini
guatemalensis, and other native species in

Central America, CATIE in Costa Rica has
determined what are the best provenances
(specic origin of the seed in a region or locality in a given country) that suit most planting
conditions. In addition, progeny studies have
helped to nd what are the best sources of seed
for Acacia mangium, Eucalyptus grandis, and
other species.
3.2. Plant Ecology

Information on the following ecological
characteristics of tree species will be useful in
helping to select them for plantation purposes:
light requirements, growth under different soil
fertility conditions, resistance to drought, tolerance to low or high pH, tolerance to high concentrations of toxic metals, resistance against
pest and disease, ability to sprout and to
respond to pruning and coppicing, seed production, germination characteristics, need for
inoculation with mycorrhizae, need for fertilisers, wood characteristics, and uses. In most cases
basic ecological information on tree species can
be found at universities, ministries of agriculture, or departments of forestry. Local information can also be obtained from nurseries,
agricultural or forestry cooperatives, and from
conversations with local producers. However,
sometimes native species are poorly known, yet
another reason for peoples tendency to use
exotics, which have been better studied.
3.3. Choosing Species, Designs, and

Management to Stabilise
Degraded Soils
matter, total nitrogen, calcium, and phosphorus

were found under Vochysia ferruginea, a
species common in forests in the region. In
Bahia, Brazil, values of at least ve soil parameters under 15 out of the 20 species of the plantations were similar to or higher than those
found under forest. Several species contributed
to increased carbon and nitrogen, including
Inga afnis, Parapiptadenia pterosperma,
Plathymenia foliolosa (leguminous, N-xing
species), Caesalpinia echinata, Copaifera
lucens (leguminous, nonN-xing), Eschweilera
ovata, Pradosia lactescens (of other families).
Others increased soil pH and/or some cations,
such as Copaifera lucens, Eschweilera ovata,
Lecythis pisonis, and Licania hypoleuca. In
Misiones, in North Eastern Argentina, the
greatest differences in soil carbon and nitrogen
levels under tree species and grass were found
under Bastardiopsis densiora, where they
were twice those in areas beyond the canopy
inuence. The pH was higher under Bastardiopsis densiora and Cordia trichotoma,
while the sum of bases (calcium + magnesium
+ potassium) was highest under Cordia
trichotoma, Bastardiopsis densiora, and
Enterolobium contortisiliquum. Most of the
species identied in this research for their positive inuence on soil properties are used in
restoration projects, commercial plantations
and agroforestry in each region.
3.4. Plantation DesignPure or

Mixed-Species Plantations
Recent research in Costa Rica, Brazil, and

Argentina investigated plantation tree species
that could serve to ameliorate soil properties in
degraded lands.345 In Costa Rica, in just 3 years
soil conditions improved in the tree plantations
compared to abandoned pasture. In the top
15 cm, soil nitrogen and organic matter were
higher under the trees than in pasture, with
values close to those found in 20-year-old
forests. The highest values for soil organic
Mixed species plantations have been established at several locations with varying results.
However, results from a number of eld experiments suggest that mixed designs can be more
productive than monospecic systems.346 In
addition, mixed plantations yield more diverse
forest products than pure stands, thereby
helping to diminish farmers risks in unstable
markets. Farmers may prefer mixed plantations
to diversify their investment and as a potential
protection against pest and diseases, in spite of
the technical difculties of establishing and
managing mixed plantations. Mixed stands may
345
346
Montagnini, 2002.
Wormald, 1992.
also favour wildlife and contribute to higher

landscape diversity. As seen from the example
presented above, mixed plantations can have
many productive and environmental advantages over conventional monocultures. However, their main disadvantage lies in their more
complicated design and management. Mixed
plantations thus are often restricted to relatively small areas, or to situations when diversifying production is a great advantage, such as
for small farmers of limited resources.
4. Future Needs
For forest landscape restoration, only native
species should be used in plantations, except if,
as in some of the cases mentioned earlier, there
are good specic arguments for the use of
exotics. Therefore, increased knowledge of
characteristics and silviculture of native tree
species is needed to assist in this objective. In
particular, more information is needed on the
performance of indigenous species in plantation conditions. In addition, silvicultural guidelines for plantations with indigenous species are
needed to increase their adoption by local
farmers. Market values are also an important
factor inuencing the adoption of native
species by local farmers. A key question in
species choices with the dual purpose of
restoration and production is how to balance
economic objectives with biodiversity ones.
Finally, there are some trade-off issues: Is it
best to have smaller areas of exotic plantations
or larger areas of native plantations? Again
a balance between the two objectives
restoration and productionshould give
insights into the answer.
References
Brodie, G.A., Bock, B.R., Fisher, L.S., et al. 2004.
Carbon Capture and Water Emissions Treatment
System (CCWESTRS) at fossil-fueled electric
generating plants. Third annual technical report
40930R03 (October 1, 2002September 30,
2003) for U.S. Department of Energy/National
Energy Technology Laboratory Award Number
267
DE-FC2600NT40930. Tennessee Valley Authority/Public Power Institute, Muscle Shoals, AL, in

partnership with the Electric Power Research
Institute, Palo Alto, CA.
FAO. 2000. Global Forest Resources Assessment
2000. Main report.
http:/www/fao.org/forestry/fo/fra/main.
Montagnini, F. 2000. Accumulation in aboveground
biomass and soil storage of mineral nutrients in
pure and mixed plantations in a humid tropical
lowland. Forest Ecology and Management
134:257270.
Montagnini, F. 2002. Tropical plantations with native
trees: their function in ecosystem restoration. In:
Reddy, M.V., ed. Management of Tropical Plantation-Forests and Their Soil Litter System. Litter,
Biota and Soil-Nutrient Dynamics. Science Publishers, Eneld (NH) USA, Plymouth, UK, pp.
7394.
Montagnini, F, Campos, J.J., Cornelius, J., et al. 2002.
Environmentally-friendly forestry systems in
Central America. Bois et Forts des Tropiques
272(2):3344.
Montagnini, F., Gonzlez, E., Rheingans, R., and
Porras, C. 1995. Mixed and pure forest plantations
in the humid neotropics: a comparison of early
growth, pest damage and establishment costs.
Commonwealth Forestry Review 74(4):306314.
Montagnini, F., and Porras, C. 1998. Evaluating the
role of plantations as carbon sinks: an example of
an integrative approach from the humid tropics.
Environmental Management 22(3):459470.
Piotto, D., Montagnini, F., Ugalde, L., and Kanninen,
M. 2003a. Performance of forest plantations in
small and medium sized farms in the Atlantic lowlands of Costa Rica. Forest Ecology and Management 175:195204.
Piotto, D., Montagnini, F., Ugalde, L., and Kanninen,
M. 2003b. Growth and effects of thinning of mixed
and pure plantations with native trees in humid
tropical Costa Rica. Forest Ecology and Management 177:427439.
Shepherd, D., and Montagnini, F. 2001. Carbon
sequestration potential in mixed and pure tree
plantations in the humid tropics. Journal of Tropical Forest Science 13(3):450459.
Vallauri, D., Aronson, J., and Barbero, M. 2002. An
Vesterdal, L., Ritter, E., and Gundersen, P. 2002.
Changes in soil organic carbon following afforestation of former arable land. Forest Ecology and
268
F. Montagnini
Walker R.F., Mc Laughlin, S.B., and West, D.C. 2004.

Establishment of sweet birch on surface mine spoil
as inuenced by mycorrhizal inoculation and fertility. Restoration Ecology 12(1):819.
Wormald, T.J. 1992. Mixed and pure forest plantations in the tropics and subtropics. FAO Forestry
Paper 103, Rome.
Additional Reading
2003. Planted forests and biodiversity. An IUFRO
contribution to the UNFF Intersessional Expert
Meeting on the Role of Planted Forests in
Sustainable Forest Management: Maximising
planted forests contribution to SFM, Wellington,
New Zealand, 2430 March 2003. In: Buck, A.,
Parrotta, J., and Wolfrum, G., eds. Science and
TechnologyBuilding the Future for the Worlds
Forests and Planted Forests and Biodiversity.
IUFRO Occasional Paper No. 15. International
Union of Forest Research Organisations, Vienna.
Evans, J. 1999. Planted forests of the wet and dry
tropics: their variety, nature, and signicance. New
Forestry 17:2536.
Montagnini, F., and Jordan, C.F. 2005. Plantations
and Agroforestry Systems. In: Montagnini, F., and
Jordan, C.F. 2005. Tropical Forest Ecology. The
Basis for Conservation and Management. SpringerVerlag, BerlinNew York.
Parrotta, J.A. 2002. Restoration and management of
degraded tropical forest landscapes. In: Ambasht,
R.S., and Ambasht, N.K., eds. Modern Trends in
Applied Terrestrial Ecology. Kluwer Academic/
Plenum Press, New York, pp. 135148.
Parrotta, J.A., and Turnbull, J.T., eds. 1997. Catalyzing native forest regeneration on degraded tropical lands. Forest Ecology and Management
(Special Issue) 99(12):1290.
Wadsworth, F.H. 1997. Forest production for tropical
America. USDA Forest Service.
General Guidelines
on Plantations
Cossalter, C., Pye-Smith, C. 2003. Fast-Wood
Forestry. Myths and realities. Forest Perspectives.
Center for International Forestry Research

(CIFOR), Jakarta, Indonesia. www.cifor.cgiar.org/.
Contains information on controversial issues
regarding plantations such as social relevance, economic aspects, environmental effects.
Evans J. 1992. Plantation Forestry in the Tropics.
Oxford University Press, Oxford, England. One of
the most complete textbooks on plantation
forestry for tropical countries.
2000. Main report. http:/www/fao.org/forestry/
fo/fra/main. The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) publishes periodically statistics and information on plantations
worldwide, area covered, uses, land-use changes,
species, and other relevant information.
Forest Stewardship Council guidelines. www.fscus.
org/. Contains materials related to certication of
forest plantations; a full section on plantation
forestry, principles, and criteria for sustainable
management of plantation forestry.
International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO).
2002. Guidelines for the restoration, management
and rehabilitation of degraded and secondary
tropical forest. ITTO Policy development series
no. 13. www.itto.or.jp. Gives detailed guidelines
for how to assess a situation of forest degradation
and to decide what is the best alternative for
restoration.
Siyag, P.R. 1998. The Afforestation Manual. Technology and Management.TreeCraft Communications,
Jaipur, India. Focusses on semi-arid regions. The
book has a technical manual, explaining nursery
techniques, site selection and preparation, fencing,
soil and water conservation strategies, planting,
care and maintenance of the plantations; a management manual, dealing with organisational
aspects of afforestation, activity planning, monitoring, quality control and productivity, and record
keeping; a section containing technical charts and
tables to be used as models and reference; a
section on management of charts and tables, and
a tree planting guide.
WWF Web site on forest landscape restoration.
www.panda.org/forests/restoration. Provides concepts, information on forest restoration projects in
Africa, Asia/Pacic, Europe, and Latin America.
39
Developing Firebreaks
Eduard Plana, Ruf Cerdan, and Marc Castellnou

Firebreaks are useful to stop low-intensity
surface res, as a line from which reghters
can operate, and as perimeters for prescribed
re projects.
Firebreaks vary in their effectiveness
depending on adjacent hazards, the landscape to protect, and maintenance. When
used alone, rebreaks cannot contain highintensity head res, but may serve as control
points for extinction.
Firebreaks are expensive and more emphasis should be placed on understanding and
managing res.
1. Background and
Restoration in re-prone areas requires effective re management policies if it is to be successful. In the major regions of the world re
services are usually able to stop medium- and
low-intensity res. Technological improvements
along with increased re prevention infrastructure (rebreaks, water points, etc.) have considerably increased the success in ghting
wildres. However, the ability to control res is
hampered in extreme climatic conditions, which
are cyclical and are expected to become more
extreme because of climate change. In these
conditions, high load (biomass) leads to highintensity, destructive res, which cannot
easily be controlled by infrastructure such as
rebreaks.
Large wildre events have occurred regularly
in the last few years (e.g., Australia in
20022003, 1.3 million hectares (Mha); United
States in 2000, 3 Mha; southwestern Europe
in 2003, 0.5 Mha). This new phenomenon has
encouraged major revisions to current re risk
management strategies, which have reached the
following main conclusions:
Fire is a natural element present in most
forest ecosystems of the world, although in
many regions, like the Mediterranean, for
example, re regime and frequencies have
been greatly increased by human activity.
Deeply disturbed secondary ecosystems are
less resistant and resilient to re than
old-growth forest landscapes. Prevention
infrastructures have to be based on an understanding of the current socio-ecosystem,
ecological history, natural role of re in the
ecosystem, and on how forests (species,
stand structures, etc.) are adapted to re
(improving tree community resilience and
resistance).
High fuel accumulations allow the development of high-intensity res, which overwhelm prevention measures. Land-use
changes (e.g., abandonment of agroforestry
management) and, paradoxically, the success
in controlling low-intensity res, leads to fuel
accumulation in the landscape.
269
270
E. Plana et al
To improve the efciency of prevention

measures, local knowledge is needed of re
behaviour patterns in a particular region.
Human settlements and infrastructure developed in re risk areas need to tackle the
phenomenon of re from an environmental
risk prevention perspective (in the same way
as oods, avalanches, etc.) and integrate re
management into planning policies.
A number of alternatives exist in terms of
fuel management including linear rebreaks
(areas without vegetation or with low tree
density); commercial forest management or
selective thinning within forest areas to
simulate resistance within the natural forest
structure; prescribed burning to simulate the
natural re regime and fuel elimination; or
fuel control through grazing. All of these measures are complementary and are focussed on
reducing the fuel availability and re severity,
adapting the landscape structure to the natural
re regime or protecting the urban/forest
interface.
Firebreaks must be established as barriers
designed to stop surface res (low-intensity
res), to be used as a line from which reghters can operate, to set a backre if necessary,
and to facilitate the movement of people and
equipment. They are also useful as perimeters
for prescribed re projects. Firebreaks prevent
heat conduction, but not radiation, which may
ignite fuel on the other side of the break (this
commonly happens in high-intensity res).
Instead of total vegetation suppression, more
and more rebreaks are designed as low tree
density forest structures, which have less visual
impact on the landscape and make it easier to
control grass growth under the canopy. Fire
behaviour models can be used to help us to
place rebreaks in the optimal site, taking into
account predominant winds, topography, and
forest types among other factors. Using natural
barriers like rivers or crests can be useful.When
reducing tree density, it is also important to
increase the canopy base height through
pruning to create forests safe from crown res.
In commercial forestry, the choice of less combustible species such as Acacia spp. can be also
considered in some cases.
No absolute standards for rebreak width

or fuel manipulation are available. Firebreak
widths have always been quite variable, both in
terms of theory and on-the-ground practice. As
the literature shows, the rule of thumb often
adopted for rebreak widths is as follows347:
Two to four times the height of adjacent trees
Six to seven times the height of trees: wind
regime passes from laminar to turbulent,
letting ying embers and rebrands fall in the
strip
Average wind speed multiplied by time of
ight of burning embers (about 15 seconds)
Width greater than potential horizontal
length of ames to be expected at the head
of the re. (For other recommendations see
Table 39.1)
Unfortunately, for many reasons, rebreaks
are sometimes not wide enough to be effective.
Firebreaks may even sometimes act as chimneys, creating a route for the wind to blow and
increase re spread and intensity. The lack of
shade on the ground creates good conditions
for germination and growth of annual plants,
which can themselves turn into dangerous fuels,
characterised by a high rate of spread and high
linear intensity. In windy sites rebreaks are
not efcient because of the great ame length,
which allows res to jump across a complete
network of rebreaks. A complete periodic
cleaning is necessary for the proper maintenance of rebreaks. Prescribed re can be effective but there is a potential risk of re escaping
along the edges. Mechanical treatments are an
alternative but are quite expensive. A cheaper
alternative can be promoting grazing into the
area (sheep, goats, cows), but for this the forest
owners cooperation is needed. Grazing must
also be managed carefully to avoid damage to
trees and erosion of soil.
Another important issue is the urban/forest
interface. Structural re losses are increasing
dramatically as more people build and live in
proximity to ammable plant communities.
A basic list for reducing the fuel load and
therefore, risk in urban/forest interface is as
follows348:
347
348
Leone, 2002.
Schmidt and Wakimoto, 1988.
39. Developing Firebreaks
271
Table 39.1. Recommended minimum distances needed in rebreaks with high-risk conditions.
Minimum distances needed in rebreaks with high risk conditions
Vegetation
Tree stand and low, dense brush
Tree stand and dense brush
Flat land
Land with 70% slope
12 m
25 m
20 m
35 m
Terrain
Width
Crests with slopes higher than 50%

Crests with high slope in one side (50%) and low slope in other (20%)
Crest with slow slopes (20%)
Flat land
Thin watercourse
60 m
80 m
60100 m
100 m
150 m
Source: Vlez, 2000.
Remove enough trees to reduce crown cover

to less than 35 percent, leaving a minimum of
3 m of open space between crowns.
Thin to a minimum of the height of two trees
in each direction from home on level terrain
(twice on slopes of 30 percent, four times on
slopes higher than 55 percent).
Prune with elimination of live and dead portions of crown up to 3 m from the ground to
a minimum of twice the trees height in each
direction from home on level terrain, to
reduce the incidence of surface res getting
into the tree crowns.
Remove understorey trees or space them
widely enough to reduce the chances of
surface res igniting them and in turn the
main forest canopy.
Clean up woody material including that
accumulated in the above operations to
reduce incidence and intensity of surface
res.
As a nal conclusion, rebreaks and other
spatially restricted fuel management zones vary
in their effectiveness according to adjacent
hazards, project construction (e.g., width), and
maintenance. When used alone, rebreaks do
not contain high-intensity head res, but may
serve as control points for indirect attack and
ank re containment. This is an important
point given the high cost of constructing and
maintaining rebreaks. Simulation studies in
terms of such factors as re spread, intensity,
and the occurrence of spotting and crowning
(re of design) are basic for a cost-effective

investment.
2. Examples
2.1. A Network of Firebreaks in
Bages County, Catalonia
(Spain) with Local Community
Participation
The network of rebreaks project in Spains
Catalonia province had three main interrelated
objectives. The rst one, the assessment of risks,
was intended to produce a spatial account of
the potential forest re risks occurring in the
county by analysing each of the identiable
dimensions that contribute both to the increase
in the likelihood of re and in the negative
impacts once the re has started. This implied
a detailed analysis, using a mixture of sources,
of the distribution and causes and meteorological conditions of re within the forested territory. The FARSITE programme generated risk
analysis and Geographical Information System
(GIS) maps were produced by the ARC/
INFO programme. The aim was to produce a
territorial representation of risks and vulnerability in order to proceed with the assessment,
as the second objective, of the human and technical resources available to minimise both the
risk and the eventual harm due to forest res in
the county. The purpose, then, was to estimate
the correspondence between re risk and
272
E. Plana et al
control capacity in the different locations. In

turn, such resources were divided into re prevention, detection, intervention, and infrastructure. The variables taken into account in this
respect were (1) structure of re protection barriers, (2) other measures to break fuel continuity (prescribed re, grazing, green plantations),
(3) forest management and selective thinning,
(4) number and visibility of look out posts, and
(5) forest mass accessibility. As the third objective, the overall aim of the project was to
develop and implement a strategic plan to deal
with such risks. This plan was the outcome of
the integration of expert and relevant stakeholder knowledge carried out during the empirical research. In a series of 14 meetings, local
managers, forest owners, and many other actors
representing a large amount and diversity of
the countys population were shown, and asked
to respond to, the results of the expert GIS
analysis of the situation. These maps and results
were revised, modied, and enhanced as a
result of the discussions. Eventually, specic
measures were debated, actors roles identied,
and the actions to be pursued agreed upon with
regard to re prevention, re prediction, and
re extinction. Thus, the crucial role of local
populations was underlined during the whole
process of the research and policy action. Participation was carried out at different stages,
including for the assessments of re risk, the
estimation of control capacity resources, and,
last but not least, at the implementation stage.
The meetings were composed of individuals
representing the following actors and agents:
voluntary forest protection patrols, forest
landowners, local public ofcials, re brigades,
the local environmentalist group, a local environmental consultancy company, a local expert
on environmental issues, and the local media.349
2.2. Fuel Management Versus Fire

Suppression? A Worldwide
Overview
After years of investing in re suppression,
many developed countries have had to recognise that high-intensity res are out of reach of
suppression efforts, due to high fuel accumulation. Economic analysis shows easily that the
cost per hectare of prescribed burning or thinning is cheaper than extinction,350 but there is a
lot of discussion about the optimum amount of
treated forest surface, due both to the difculties in analysing the fuel management productivity, and to the lack of completed data (cost
of planning and monitoring). American and
Australian re control systems, which have had
to deal with major re problems in the last few
seasons, have decided to increase the amount of
fuel management, and the use of prescribed
burning in particular (Victorian Bushre
Colonel Inquiry in 2004; Forest Healthy Initiative by USDA Forest Service in 2001), and even
to let the natural res do part of this job. Large
and intense res always take the majority of
the costs of suppression. In California, some
research simulating re suppression scenarios
using the re growth model FARSITE have
demonstrated how silvicultural treatment in
strategic sites into forest areas (nonlineal rebreaks) can reduce the re cost (damages and
suppression costs) by 500 percent, with benetcost ratios of 2.94 and 1.47 in return intervals
of 50 and 100 years, respectively.351 Therefore,
the priorities for investment in fuel management should be aimed at minimising these
large-scale events, and res of design are the
best tool to do this.
3. Outline of Tools
Landscape fuel management techniques and
rebreaks maintenance measures: Management guidelines adapted to specic local conditions for silvicultural treatments (selective
thinning and pruning), prescribed burning,
or grazing are needed. Wherever possible,
local agrarian activity should be used within
re prevention strategies as a means of promoting rural development and local stakeholders involvement.
Participatory methods with local stakeholders and policymakers: Agreement among all
350
349
Tbara et al., 2003.
351
Agee et al., 2000.

Finney et al., 1997.
39. Developing Firebreaks
the stakeholders involved is essential to

ensuring the social sustainability of any re
prevention project.
Territorial planning and legislative tools.
In Italy, Spain and France for instance,
grazing is legally recognised as a tool for
re prevention. It is highly desirable to
include re risk in urban and infrastructure
planning.
4. Future Needs
The following three points are priorities for
future work on rebreaks:
Knowledge of the natural re regime in each
region and the forest structure is needed to
avoid high-intensity destructive res. Information tools such as re behaviour models
like FARSITE or geographic information
systems should provide the information to
design our infrastructures in the most costeffective manner.
Incentives are needed to ensure economic
viability and cross-cutting legislation for
the policy development of fuel management activities in a landscape, especially
taking into account local stakeholders
participation.
Awareness must be raised among society and
policymakers showing the re as a natural
element of Mediterranean ecosystems, and
the need to include re risk management in
landscape management and territorial planning. Improving the knowledge of re as a
273
natural risk shall improve the social viability

of the measures adopted.
References
Agee, J., Baahro, B., Finney, M., et al. 2000. The use
of shaded fuelbreaks in landscape re management. Forest Ecology and Management 127:5566.
Finney, M.A., Sapsis, D.B., and Bahro, B. 1997. Use
of FARSITE for simulating re suppression and
analyzing fuel treatment economics. Symposium
on Fire in California Ecosystems: Integrating
Ecology, Prevention, and Management, 1720
November 1997, San Diego, California. Association for Fire Ecology Misc. Pub. No. 1, pp. 180199.
Leone, V. 2002. Forest management: pre and post re
practices. In: Pardini, G., and Pint, J. eds. Fire,
Landscape and Biodiversity: An Appraisal of the
Effects and Effectiveness. Diversitas No. 29, Universitat de Girona, Spain.
Schmidt, W.C., and Wakimoto, R.H. 1988. Cultural
practices that can reduce re hazards to home in
the Interior West. In: Fischerm, W.C., and Arno,
S.F., eds. Protecting People and Homes from
Wildre in the Interior West: Proceedings of the
Symposium and Workshop, 68 October 1987,
Missoula, MT. Gen. Techn. Rep. INT-251, UT:
USDA, Forest Service, Intermountain Research
Station, pp. 131141.
Tbara, D., Saur, D., and Cerdan, R. 2003. Forest re
risk management and public participation. In:
Changing Socioenvironmental Conditions: A Case
Study in a Mediterranean Region. Risk Analysis
23(2):249260.
Vlez, R. 2000. La Defensa Contra Incendios Forestales. Fundamentos y Experiencias. McGraw-Hill,
Madrid. ISBN: 84-481-2742-0.
40
Agroforestry as a Tool for Restoring
Forest Landscapes
Thomas K. Erdmann

Agroforestry systems that provide permanent tree cover should be promoted in forest
landscape restoration initiatives where
neither natural forest restoration nor fullsun crops are viable large-scale options.
An intimate knowledge of local livelihoods,
forest use, and farming systems will be
required for successful initiatives that aspire
to restore forest landscapes and develop
sustainable agriculture.
1. Background and
1.1. Tree Cover, Soil Fertility,
and Agriculture
Forest soils are often fertile, especially where
forest ecosystems are relatively undisturbed
and have been able to cycle and recycle essential plant nutrients and organic matter over
long periods. Even where forest soils are poor,
signicant amounts of nutrients are often held
in the above-ground biomass. In relatively
young secondary forests or woody fallows,
organic matter from tree litter (leaves, bark,
branches, etc.) can quickly accumulate. Moreover, the deep root systems of trees are able to
pump nutrients from the soil that are inaccessible to other plants.
274
1.2. The Dilemma of Shifting

Agriculture
Farmers have targeted forest ecosystems for
centuries. Usually this has taken the form of
shifting agriculture, whereby a patch of forest is
cleared, burnt, and then farmed for a few years
until much of the soil fertility has been depleted
and/or colonisation of the plot by weeds
becomes too difcult to manage. In these traditional systems, the area is then abandoned and
left fallow for a number of years.
If the duration of fallow periods is long
enough, shifting cultivation is a sustainable
system. However, in many tropical developing
countries, high population growth rates have
led to an increased demand for arable land that
has, in turn, resulted in shorter and shorter
fallow periods for these systems. The shorter
fallow periods result in unsatisfactory soil fertility and declining yields. Over time, this has
led to severely degraded lands no longer suitable for agriculture. Farmers are then forced to
clear the primary forest again for the fertile
soils needed for acceptable crop yields. The
long-term result has been an accelerated rate of
forest degradation and deforestation.
1.3. A Short Introduction

to Agroforestry
Agroforestry is not a new practice and has, in
fact,existed for as long as humans have practised
agriculture. However, it is only during the past
30 years that it has received ample scientic
40. Agroforestry as a Tool for Restoring Forest Landscapes
attention and systematic study. The accepted

denition of agroforestry is a collective name
for land-use systems and technologies where
woody perennials are deliberately used on the
same land-management units as agricultural
crops and/or animals, in some form of spatial
arrangement or temporal sequence.352 The key
word here is deliberately, as the people
employing these systems do it intentionally.
Some forms of agroforestry are potential
avenues for contributing to forest landscape
restoration while also responding to agricultural
needs and the shifting cultivation dilemma.
1.4. The Multipurpose Tree and

Species Choice: Domestication
of Natural Forest Species and
Biodiversity Considerations
One of the foundations of agroforestry is the
multipurpose tree. This is a woody species (tree
or shrub) that can furnish more than one
product or service. Species that can provide
these multiple benets are preferable to those
that furnish only one product or service and
should be actively promoted in restoration
efforts aimed at sustaining agriculture. For
example, many nitrogen-xing shrub species
may enhance soil fertility while at the same
time providing nutritious fodder for livestock
and holding soil in place (combating erosion).
Similarly, fruit trees can provide food while also
contributing to soil conservation.
Which woody species to promote in restoration efforts is also important from a biodiversity
standpoint. There may be natural forest species
that provide sustenance for key threatened
fauna in the landscape.Ideally,it would be preferable to encourage species that ll this niche
while at the same time providing goods and
services that are valuable for the local farming
systems. Efforts to master propagation of these
natural forest species so that they can be planted
in densely populated landscapes may be a key
ingredient to successful restoration. This is the
rst step in the domestication process whereby
valuable, local native species are planted and
incorporated into the farming system.
352
Lundgren and Raintree, 1982, cited in Nair, 1993.
275
1.5. Competition Between Woody

Plants and Herbaceous Crops
One critical issue to consider when planning
forest restoration to sustain agriculture is
competition for light, water, and soil nutrients
between trees/shrubs and crops. Spatial tradeoffs may need to be negotiated in order to
achieve an acceptable balance of agricultural
yields and forest goods and services. For
example, it may be necessary to increase the
spacing between hedgerows in order to achieve
the desired agricultural yields in alley cropping
(hedgerow intercropping) systems.
1.6. Trees Scattered Throughout the

Landscape Versus Restoring a
Closed Canopy Forest
In densely populated landscapes where arable
land is in high demand, it may not be possible,
from a socioeconomic standpoint, to restore
signicant areas wholly devoted to tree cover
or forests. Alternatively, one may have to focus
on planting trees and shrubs in in-between
places on farms. These places could include
farm or eld borders, hedgerows along contour
lines in sloping areas, or small clusters of trees
and shrubs adjacent to homes. The goal would
still remain restoration of the goods and services that woody plants provide.
1.7. Stakeholder/Client Needs and

Forest/Tree Services
Lastly, but most importantly, it is critical to have
a rm understanding of who the key stakeholders or clients are as well as what their land
and natural resource use viewpoints and priorities are in any forest landscape restoration
initiative. When it comes to restoration aimed
at sustaining agriculture, the key stakeholder
group will be local farmers who practise agriculture within the landscape in question. It will
be of paramount importance to comprehend
the local agricultural systems and their relationship to forest cover. Similarly, it is important to know how the forest is traditionally
used, that is, which species provide products
that are benecial to the local population. This
276
T.K. Erdmann
knowledge is required in order to design appropriate restoration interventions.
2. Examples
2.1. Extension of Home Gardens
and Farming Under Natural
Forest Fallow and Secondary
Forests
Multistory home gardens that combine trees,
shrubs, and shade-tolerant crops are found
throughout the tropics.353 Usually, they are
diverse and can include fruit trees; nut trees;
trees and shrubs that produce edible oils;
high-value timber trees; woody and herbaceous
plants that produce aromatic compounds;
shade-tolerant tree crops such as rubber, cacao,
and coffee; and shade-tolerant crops such as
bananas, yams, cassavas, and spices. Due to their
diversity, these systems are risk-averse and can
provide economic and food products throughout the year. They are an important component
of the livelihoods strategies of uncountable
poor, rural smallholders. Establishing, extending, and diversifying these home gardens offer
enormous potential in many threatened and
degraded forest landscapes throughout the
world; the practice should thus be considered
part of any forest landscape restoration (FLR)
strategy. The following three examples of
cash/tree crop systems could easily be combined with or connected to diverse home
gardens. This can easily be practised in secondary forest and older fallow areas and, indeed is
already an important practice of rain-forest
colonists in Brazil, Peru, and Nicaragua.
2.2. Tree Crops and Forest

Restoration
2.2.1. Rubber in Borneo354
an extensive to a more intensive land use

system. It is also coupled with the entry of the
local population into a cash economyrubber
is a major cash cropas well as an increased
government presence and enforcement of legislation aimed at controlling forest encroachment and a switch from upland to irrigated
rice production. Farmers in the cases studied
actively created forests or rubber gardens in
fallow or secondary forest areas or added
rubber to traditional multistory home gardens.
In both situations, the rubber trees are mixed
with fruit trees and other trees that provide
economic products as well as with spontaneous
natural forest regeneration. These man-made
forests are structurally complex and oristically
diverse. The overall policy conclusion355 was
that it was preferable to promote tree or tree
crop technologies when the maintenance of a
forested landscape was desired.
2.2.2. Cacao in Cte dIvoire 356

The introduction of cacao, coupled with
inuxes of migrants, has generally led to extensive deforestation in Cte dIvoire. More
recently, however, land scarcity and better governmental enforcement against forest clearing
has led to a change in this trend. Farmers are
now adapting practices that lead to an overall
increase in forest cover, planting grasslands and
shrubby fallows with cacao in combination with
fruit trees and high value timber trees (logging
companies are now turning to valuable trees on
older cacao plantations that were spared during
plantation establishment). Old, unproductive,
often shaded cacao plantations are being
replanted with newer varieties of cacao and
intercropped with yams and bananas. Deforested areas often pose new challenges to
farmers who are forced to adapt and innovate;
new practices can lead to restoration of forest
or tree cover.
Rubber is one of the principal tree crops for

smallholders in southeast Asia. Despite claims
to the contrary, rubber has actually led to
increased tree cover in some areas of Borneo.
This has happened as local farmers move from
Coffee grown under the shade of natural forest

trees or planted treesoften nitrogen-xing
353
355
354
Landauer and Brazil, 1990.

de Jong, 2001.
2.2.3. Shade-Grown Coffee in

Central America
356
de Jong, 2001.
Ruf, 2001.
leguminous speciesis common throughout

the coffee-producing areas of the world. As in
the previous examples, these coffee forests
can be both biologically diverse and diverse
from an economic standpoint as they can be
combined with fruit trees and high-value
timber species. In Central America and Mexico,
shade-grown coffee plantations are important
habitats for migratory birds. They are often a
signicant livelihood component of poor
farmers. Proposals are currently being developed to expand these systems and market them
for their environmental services including
watershed protection, biodiversity benets, and
carbon sequestration. This type of coffee production could be an important component of a
forest landscape restoration strategy in many
areas.
2.3. Improved Fallow

Improved fallow practices generally involve
planting or directly seeding shrubby legumes in
agricultural elds that have lost their soil fertility. Once the cropping cycle is ready to begin
again, these shrubs are usually cut down and
their biomass incorporated into the soil as
green manure. In some cases, the practice can
commence in the last season or two of agricultural production if farmers retain regeneration
of soil-enhancing woody plants in their elds
during weeding, or even direct seeding of these
species during hoeing or weeding operations.
Another variation is that farmers spare a few
widely spaced trees in their elds at the time of
clearing; these trees contribute to maintaining
soil fertility (and other products and services)
during the cropping cycle and provide an immediate favourable micro-climate for the establishment of additional woody vegetation once
the eld enters the fallow cycle.
2.3.1. Using Nitrogen Fixing Species

Sesbania Sesban and Tephrosia Vogelii
in Zambia
Improved fallow systems have been tested and
sometimes adopted throughout the tropics.
One of the most successful examples is a system
using the nitrogen-xing species Sesbania
sesban and Tephrosia vogelii in Zambia. Maize
277
yields after 2 years of fallow with these species

approach those of fully fertilised elds. These
same species plus Crotalaria grahamiana also
proved highly successful in western Kenya,
doubling maize yields there.357 Poor households
tend to prefer this technology over the use of
chemical fertilisers. However, the problem of
farmers possessing insufcient land to place in
fallow renders the potential widespread adoption of this practice problematic for many areas
in the tropics where population growth rates
are high.
Incorporating improved fallow systems in
forest landscape restoration initiatives may be
challenging, however. As indicated above, trees
and shrubs are usually removed once the cropping cycle begins anew. The practice is thus only
a temporary restoration of tree or shrub cover.
One possible compromise would be to designate
a contiguous shifting agricultural zone within a
given landscape in which some of the land would
always be covered by improved fallows. These
improved fallow areas would shift from year to
year within the designated zone.
2.4. Hedgerow Intercropping

Like improved fallow, hedgerow intercropping
or alley cropping is a soil fertility maintenance
or restoration practice. It involves establishing
permanent hedgerows of shrubs and small
treesoften species that x nitrogenin agricultural elds. The hedgerows are periodically
pruned back and the biomass incorporated into
the soil between them where crops are grown.
Despite promising results of experimental
trials at many agricultural research stations,
the practice has not been widely adopted by
farmers. This stems from two major drawbacks.
First, competition between crops and the
hedgerow trees and shrubs is often severe, especially for water in semi-arid and subhumid
areas. Second, the required periodic pruning
represents a signicant labour input that many
small farmers cannot afford. Insecure land
tenure, access to land and credit, and a focus by
extension agents on soil conservation rather
than economic returns are other often problematic issues that limit adoption.
357
Place et al, 2003.
278
T.K. Erdmann
2.4.1. Potential Adverse Impacts

There are some risks associated with widespread adoption in a given landscape of
the examples outlined above. The rst one is
that the agroforestry practices become too
successful from an economic point of view
and attract human migration to the landscape.
Increased immigration could subsequently
cause increased clearing of natural forest.
Second, some of the exotic species used in these
practices may become weeds and displace
native woody species. This would likely have a
negative impact on the landscapes natural
biodiversity.
3. Outline of Tools
3.1. Rapid and Participatory
Rural Appraisals
The rapid or participatory rural appraisal
(R/PRA) method is now widely accepted and
practised in rural development work. In
general, it is a fairly quick and very useful
means of gathering information on and engaging stakeholders. It is particularly appropriate
for local communities. The method can be
tailored to a wider variety of subjects. It usually
consists of semistructured interviews that can
be conducted with large, mixed groups or
smaller, more homogeneous subgroups. In the
context of restoration, R/PRAs can be used to
understand local natural resource use, especially in relation to natural forests. They can
also be critical tools for obtaining information
on agricultural practices and the associated
calendar of agricultural activities. It is common during R/PRAs to carry out a transect
walking across the landscapenoting pertinent
information along the way and later assembling
a visual summary of what was encountered.
Similarly, participatory mapping exercises are
commonly employed. Most importantly, R/
PRAs can be used as a starting point for engaging stakeholders living in the landscape in
question. After an analysis of problems associated with natural resource use, one can conduct a participatory brainstorming session on
potential solutions to these problems. Restoration activities will often be proposed at this
point.
3.2. Livelihoods Analysis

Much of the following information is paraphrased from the Livelihoods Connect Web
site358 developed by the U.K. Department for
International Development and the Institute of
Development Studies. Livelihoods analysis is a
people-centred approach aimed at eliminating
poverty. This approach is important for any
forest landscape restoration initiative but particularly in those landscapes where agriculture
is a major land useafter all, it is people who
practise farming. Analysis is based on a sustainable livelihoods framework that includes an
examination of assets (human, natural, nancial, social, and physical capital), vulnerability,
and how livelihood strategies can transform
structures and processes. Besides being peoplecentred and always considering sustainability,
the approach utilises other core concepts:
dynamism, holism, macromicro links, exibility, and building upon strengths rather than
needs. The approach also calls for a multidisciplinary team that covers environmental, economic, social, and governance aspects. Many
tools can be used in livelihoods analysis including R/PRAs. Other important tools cited in the
literature include gender, macroeconomic and
stakeholder analyses, as well as governance
assessment.
3.3. Agroforestry Technologies for

As seen in the examples in the preceding sections, there are a number of agroforestry practices or technologies that can be incorporated
into restoration initiatives. These fall into three
main categories:
Technologies for restoring and maintaining
soil fertility (e.g., improved fallows, hedgerow
intercropping)
Technologies for soil conservation (e.g., hedgerow intercropping on slopes, windbreaks)
358
www.livelihoods.org.
Cash crop technologies for income generation (e.g., home gardens)

The rst two practices use trees and shrubs
to provide essential agricultural services, while
the third is more directly linked to maintaining
and improving human well-being. Most of the
technologies have been briey described above.
4. Future Needs
Priorities for the future include:
Negotiating land use trade-offs between agriculture and forests: One of the key, potential
stumbling blocks in implementing forest
restoration in landscapes where farming is
a major land use is negotiating trade-offs
between agriculture and forests. The success
of these negotiations will be a critical determinant of stakeholder engagement and will
ultimately dictate the success of the restoration initiative. In general, conservation practitioners have little or no experience in land
use planning and stakeholder negotiations
(also see more on this in Negotiations and
Conict Management). It is thus critical that
guidance and training are provided in this
area. It is also important to promote partnerships between conservation entities and
those dealing with livelihood and development concerns.
Propagation of indigenous tree species:
Incorporating indigenous tree species into
agroforestry systems can make any forest
landscape restoration initiative more biodiversity friendly while at the same time providing goods and services desired by local
farmers. Unfortunately, the biology of many
of these species is little known or understood.
Some basic, applied research may be needed
to ascertain the most appropriate propagation techniques. The inclusion of these
species in agroforestry systems is analogous
to the domestication process; much has been
written on this subject and this can presumably provide the foundation for guidance for
restoration practitioners on this subject.
279
References
de Jong, W. 2001. The impact of rubber on the forest
landscape in Borneo. In: Angelsen, A., and
Kaimowitz, D. eds. Agricultural Technologies
and Tropical Deforestation. CAB International,
Wallingford and New York, pp. 367381.
Landauer, K., and Brazil, M. eds. 1990. Tropical
Home Gardens. United Nations University, Tokyo.
Nair, P.K.R. 1993. An Introduction to Agroforestry.
Kluwer, Dordrecht, Boston and London.
Place, F., Franzel, S., Noordin, Q., and Jama, B.
2003. Improved fallows in Kenya: history, farmer
practice and impacts. Paper presented at the
InWEnt, IFPRI, NEPAD and CTA conference,
Successes in African Agriculture, Pretoria,
South Africa.
Ruf, F. 2001. Tree crops as deforestation and reforestation agents: the case of cocoa in Cte dIvoire
and Sulawesi. In: Angelsen, A., and Kaimowitz, D.
eds. Agricultural Technologies and Tropical Deforestation. CAB International, Wallingford and New
York, pp. 291315.
Additional Reading
Angelsen, A., and Kaimowitz, D. eds. 2001.
Agricultural Technologies and Tropical Deforestation. CAB International, Wallingford and New
York.
Elevitch, C.R. ed. 2004. The Overstory Book: Cultivating Connections with Trees. Permanent Agriculture Resources, Holualoa, Hawaii.
Gladwin, C., Peterson, J., and Uttaro, R. 2002. Agroforestry innovations in Africa: can they improve
soil fertility on women farmers elds? African
Studies Quarterly 6(1&2).
McNeely, J.A., and Scherr, S.J. 2003. Ecoagriculture:
Strategies to Feed the World and Save Wild Biodiversity. Island Press, Washington, USA, Covelo,
California.
Schroth, G., da Fonseca, G.A.B., Harvey, C.A.,
Gascon, C.Vasconcelos, H.L., and Izac,A.M.N. eds.
2004. Agroforestry and Biodiversity Conservation
in Tropical Landscapes. Island Press, Washington,
Covelo, London.
Young, A. 1989. Agroforestry for Soil Conservation.
CAB International, Oxford, UK.
Part D
Addressing Specic Aspects of
Forest Restoration
Section XII
Restoration of Different Forest Types
41
Restoring Dry Tropical Forests
James Aronson, Daniel Vallauri, Tanguy Jaffr, and Porter P. Lowry II

Dry tropical forests have been overexploited
by humans, and little remains now of this
biologically rich and unique ecosystem.
There are a number of valid reasons to
restore tropical dry forests, including their
rates of endemism, their potential to yield
medicines, aromatic herbs, and foods, recreational reasons, their genetic uniqueness, and
their potential adaptability to climate
change.
Case studies show that restoration of
tropical dry forests in a landscape context,
although a difcult undertaking, is highly
possible and necessary.
1. Background and
Vast expanses of the Earths warm regions
perhaps 40 to 45 percent of all intertropical
landswere once covered with tropical dry
forests (TDF).359 These areas included the
leeward coastal plains of tropical America and
Madagascar, and many (or even most) islands
of the Caribbean, the Pacic and the Indian
Oceans, as well as many inland regions of
Africa, Asia, and Australia. Today, TDFs are
359
Bullock et al, 1995.
deeply, and perhaps irreversibly, transformed.

Only 1 to 2 percent of the original (prehuman)
area remains in a relatively intact and ecologically healthy condition. The remainder are so
fragmented and subject to species loss, habitat
change, and genetic erosion that they must be
considered in imminent danger of extinction.
1.1. Characteristics and

Biological Wealth
Reecting the very wide range of geological
substrates on which they occur and the variable,
unpredictable climate to which they are subject,
TDFs harbour an astonishing variety of
plants and animals that are remarkable in
their structure, ecophysiology, chemistry, and
ecology. They also show exceptionally high
rates of endemism in all major groups of organisms. Sadly, however, the ecological importance
and conservation value of TDFs only began to
be recognised in the last 10 to 15 years, that is,
much later than for tropical humid forests.
Tropical dry forests are characterised by
continuous tree cover and a multitiered canopy.
They also present a unique set of selective
forces that have driven the evolution of a
remarkable array of life forms. Unpredictable
periods of sometimes severe water stress,
followed by sudden and often spectacular
increases in rainfall, lead to pulses in the
availability of water, energy, and nutrients to
plants and animals alike. This combination of
interannual variation and unpredictability in
resources, in areas where temperatures never
285
286
J. Aronson et al
drop below freezing, has catalysed the evolution of impressive arrays of deciduous, semideciduous, and evergreen trees, shrubs, and lianas,
with very diverse chemistry, life forms, and
reproductive systems. We speak of arrays in the
plural because virtually every island, peninsula,
or archipelago with TDF has its own unique set
of species, many of which are locally endemic.
Given the advanced fragmentation they have
suffered, each surviving TDF community
should be considered as a unique entity of the
highest possible conservation value.
1.2. Attractiveness to People and

Its Consequences
Due to their seasonality, gentle topographic
relief, relatively rich soils, and proximity to
tropical coasts where abundant food and water
sources were available, TDFs attracted human
settlers and hunters from very early times.Their
rich and varied mineral deposits drew entrepreneurs and industrialists as well. As a result, the
transformation and degradation of these forests
often has gone on for long periods of time.
Prior to the onset of major human impact,
TDFs were rich in tall canopy and emergent
trees of great value for their dense, hard, and
often beautiful and fragrant wood, such as Sandalwood (Santalum album). These were selectively harvested for local construction and,
later, for international timber markets. Only
relatively few people, rarely from the local community, beneted as a rule.360
Once the tree canopy giants were removed,
the TDFs were usually subjected to progressive
or wholesale cycles of transformation for cattle
grazing or, more rarely, farmland or extractive
production of fuel wood and charcoal (e.g.,
in southwest Madagascar, see below). This
processdating mostly from the late 1800s
often consisted of repeated burning and clearing until there remained little or none of the
original assemblages of woody plants and soilborne seed banks. Faunal and microbial biota
also changed as a consequence.
Nowadays, TDF fragments and adjacent
areas are mostly used for extensive livestock
360
Roth, 2001.
grazing of limited economic value or biodiversity interest. In some areas, the surviving TDFs
near cities are disappearing to make way for
coastal hotel complexes and unplanned urban
sprawl. In the few places where some TDF
remains but is neither protected nor currently
sought after for development,TDF fragments
are still subject to selective logging for their
slow-growing but often exceedingly valuable
timber [e.g., Cordia, mahogany, teak, sandalwood, and yellow wood (Podocarpus spp.)].
This short-sighted exploitation of the most
valuable remaining trees constitutes a agrant
example of articial negative selection which,
in TDF and other endangered forests, surely
should be controlled and re-legislated, or better
yet halted altogether until natural regeneration
or active restoration have had some time to
permit forest recovery.
1.3. Reasons to Restore

It must be recognised, however, that what
remains of TDF today are not especially attractive to most people, and only rarely do they
capture the attention of tourists. Their low
annual productivity makes TDF of minor interest to foresters or farmers. Therefore, lobbying
for their conservation, and, more so still, their
restoration, is problematic. However, biodiversity criteria alone more than justify the need for
greater efforts, especially at the landscape and
ecoregional scales. Whats more, the economic
perspectives for restored tropical dry forests
are by no means negligible, even if the most
valuable timber trees and game animals have in
most cases long ago been removed.
Many plants in tropical dry forests are known
to be of value for nontimber products, including medicines, biopharmaceuticals, food products, potential sources for crop improvement
(e.g., an endemic wild rice species in New
Caledonia), perfumes, cosmetics, etc. Also,
TDFs have signicant economic value if managed under multipurpose, multiuser forestry
approaches, including the incorporation of
innovative eco- and cultural tourism. Restoration should clearly play a major role in both
scenarios, with community involvement built
into these programmes.
41. Restoring Dry Tropical Forests
Additionally, in urban or peri-urban zones,

like those of Grande Terre, New Caledonia,
restoration of native TDF is the obvious
and most cost-effective approach to meeting
growing demands for amenity plantings and
green areas. The maintenance costs of climatically adapted ecosystems would surely be less
than for conventional horticultural plantations
of exotic speciesand lawn grass!and the
aesthetic result could be well superior. Such
garden forests, albeit conned to urban parks,
roadside planting areas, and the like, could
be a useful complement to educational efforts,
and serve as gene banks for extra-urban or
peri-urban restoration projects, where hectares
of contiguous forest, or corridors among
TDF fragments, are in need of seed and germ
plasm.
Finally, with global warming and an overall
trend toward drying in terrestrial systems, the
plants, microorganisms and animals of tropical
dry forests represent a wealth of genetic capital that should not be underestimated. These
organisms can be anticipated to respond more
readily to warming and desertication on a
global scale than those adapted to humid tropical forests. Accordingly, they merit special
attention from managers and engineers as well
as public policy decision makers.
2. Examples
2.1. Area de Conservacin
Guanacaste, Costa Rica
An extensive and innovative landscape-scale
restoration and management project has been
underway in Guanacaste, northern Costa
Rica, since 1985, under the direction of Dan
Janzen.361 This 110,000 hectare conservation
area began as Santa Rosa National Park, and
through the efforts of Janzen and successive,
far-sighted Costa Rican governments, was
gradually increased to a landscape scale that
includes not only TDF but also wet forest and
montane cloud forest, as well as 45,000 hectares
of off-shore marine reserve, and integrates the
361
Janzen, 2002.
287
people who live in the area. This effort may well

be unique, and is certainly of considerable relevance and importance to worldwide efforts at
TDF conservation. The key points are that ecological management, conservation, and restoration are approached conjointly and at a real
landscape scale. Restoration is seen as biocultural and involves the development of highly
innovative education activities and ecological
economics.
2.2. New Caledonia (French

Pacic Territory)
Following early initiatives of one of the authors
(Jaffr), and his colleagues B. Suprin and J.-M.
Veillon (as well as the Services Provinciaux de
lEnvironnement), attention began to grow
about 15 years ago to the plight of the dwindling TDFs on the western coast of the largest
island of New Caledoniala Grande Terre.
In 1998, WWF, the global conservation organisation, launched an effort to organise a
consortium of nongovernmental organisations
(NGOs), research institutions, and local government agencies to establish a multifaceted
TDF programme in the context of the WWF
forest landscape restoration programme.
Underway since 2001, this programme has
already carried out much of the preliminary
reconnaissance and mapping of the many scattered TDF fragments, and has conducted valuable ecological, silvicultural, and horticultural
studies for experimental restoration efforts
slated to begin in 2005. At the time of this
writing, a major effort is underway to secure the
possibility of enabling the restoration of a signicant pilot landscape in Gouaro Deva, one of
the few remaining sites containing a relatively
large area (450 hectares) of forest with the
potential to conserve a representative piece of
the formerly widespread dry tropical forests
on Grande Terre. The prospects for an
integrated protect, manage, and restore pilot
project remain to be worked out with provincial and national policies, decision makers and,
of course, local stakeholders.
Apart from the challenges of restoring a fragmented and degraded forest landscape, TDFs
everywhere are facing very high and increasing
288
J. Aronson et al
pressures due to invasive species (ants, plants,

deer, etc.), re, and overgrazing. New Caledonia has perhaps the most endangered TDFs in
the world,362 which face all these threats and
more. New Caledonia is one of the highest priority conservation hot spots in the world, with
a very rich and highly endemic biota,363 more
than justifying the considerable effort being
made to achieve lasting protection.
2.3. Western Madagascar

Together with many others NGOs, WWF has
called attention to the alarming state and pressing need to initiate protect, manage, and restore
efforts for what is left of TDFs in western
Madagascar. Unlike New Caledonia and
Costa Rica, relatively larges tracts still remain
in Madagascar, from the Baobab-dominated
forests north of Tular to the spiny forests in the
extreme southwest. However, centuries-old
Baobabs and all their extraordinary and
endemic cohorts are increasingly being cut and
cleared to make way for housing and hotels,
while the other-worldly and unique Didieraeaceae/tree Euphorb-dominated spiny forest
is being cut and transformed into charcoal by
poverty-stricken people entirely dependent on
local resources.
In this kind of socioeconomic context, the
challenge of protecting and restoring TDF is
intimately linked to the lives and livelihoods of
the neighbouring human populations, who are
the ones primarily impacting the environment.
While the Malagasy government has strengthened its commitment to biodiversity conservation, its capacity to implement policy through
normal administrative measures is very
limited in isolated rural areas. Alternatives are
required that make use of community-based
conservation approaches in which natural
resource management is tightly linked to local
(traditional) economic and land tenure systems
and to youth education aimed at instilling a
basic understanding of the short- and long-term
importance of natural ecosystems.
362
363
Gillespie and Jaffr, 2003.

Lowry et al, 2004.
3. Outline of Tools
3.1. Monitoring Pressures
Controlling the pressures caused by livestock,
invasive species, re or land conversion is itself
a restoration tool. For example, in northwestern
Argentina, an innovative landowner and
rancher named Carlos Saravia Toleda has
developed techniques for controlled cattle
grazing that actively favour reintroduction of
selected native multipurpose trees, such as Caesalpinia paraguariensis, which has the special
feature of owering and fruiting over very
long periods of the year, offering abundant,
nutritious feed for livestock, while also providing habitat for birds, rodents, and other
mammals, and a favourable canopy for the
autogenic reestablishment of other trees and
shrubs.
Passive control methods are usually preferable (see below), but in extreme cases direct
action may be necessary, as in the volunteerbased initiative to protect TDF on the island of
Hawaii. In other situations, costly tools such as
fences or enclosures are required, for example
in New Caledonia, where introduced deer
otherwise prevent any regeneration of native
dry forest species.
3.2. Promoting Natural Dynamics

Relatively inexpensive, passive restoration
techniques are best suited to forests where,
after controlling or limiting the sources of
degradation, ecosystem resilience is high. This
is the case in some overgrazed or severely burnt
ecosystems, where the exclusion or complete
restriction of livestock grazing or re for
several years is sometimes sufcient to promote
self-recovery. Because plantations, especially in
dry conditions, require considerable technical
and nancial investment, it is preferable to
attempt passive restoration, evaluating its
effectiveness and beneting from innovative
techniques developed. Doing so, however,
requires knowledge of the functional ecology
of tropical dry forests, and especially of the
animals that disperse seeds of the main trees
41. Restoring Dry Tropical Forests
(birds, bats, etc.). Passive restoration has, for

example, been used effectively in Costa Rica.
289
Planting in straight lines or prepared terraces is

thus not necessarily the best way to proceed.
3.4. Soil Fertility and Amendments

3.3. Active Restoration: Improved
Planting Methods
In many instances restoration requires the
introduction of woody species through planting, especially of the common and framework
species of the original ecosystem, but also of
rare or endangered species. The Framework
species approach developed in Queensland,
Australia, and applied with success in northern
Thailand tropical dry forests364 seems highly
pertinent. Using this approach, 20 to 30 key tree
species are selected that together seem to form
the structural framework of the forest to be
restored. Nursery work on germination and
propagation is then required, followed by
experimental plantations involving the selection and evaluation of individual species, mixtures of species, or presumed functional groups.
This method is a large improvement on the classical approach of old forestry or revegetation
efforts where, typically, only two or three fastgrowing tree species are used. In long-term
projects, the goal will often be to create islands
or nuclei of framework trees with animaldispersed propagules to catalyze the return of
mammals, birds, and other mobile dispersers to
the area.
Tree planting in seasonally dry areas with
unpredictable rainfall obliges foresters, land
owners, and restorationists to take into consideration the perennial risk of drought. This
underscores the importance of selecting the
right species, producing good-quality nursery
stock, and carefully timing and effecting outplanting. In some situations direct seeding of
dry or pregerminated propagules should be
attempted. Inoculation with appropriate strains
of rhizobia and/or mycorrhizae may also be
advantageous or even necessary.
As mentioned, TDFs are characterised by
very high levels of spatial heterogeneity, which
has great impact on microscale differences in
the availability of water, nutrients, and energy.
364
Blakesley et al, 2002.
Soils of badly degraded TDFs are frequently

poor in organic matter and low in phosphorus
availability. Thus, the adjustment and/or addition of organic or inorganic components is
frequently essential to achieving plant establishment, even though the original soils may
have been very rich.
4. Future Needs
The ecological economic valuation of dry tropical forests has rarely been evoked, let alone
attempted. This represents a clear goal for the
near future.
A better understanding of TDF biodiversity
and ecosystem function is needed to reach
meaningful restoration objectives. From early
times, humans selectively removed the tallest,
straightest, hardest trees for use in boat building, housing, and other activities that require
dense, relatively long-lasting timber. A clear
indication of the past removal of entire
canopies may be found in the presence of
remarkable numbers and diversity of lianas and
vines representing a broad range of families,
which clearly evolved to climb to the tops of
trees taller than anything we see today. The
remnant tropical dry forests we are now left
with are truncated, so to speak, and restorationists must take this into account when setting
structural, functional, and compositional
objectives.
References
Blakesley, D., Elliot, S., Kuarak, C., Navakitbumrung,
P., Zangkum, S., and Anusarnsunthorn, V. 2002.
Propagating framework tree species to restore
seasonally dry tropical forest: implications of seasonal seed dispersal and dormancy. Forest Ecology
and Management 164:3138.
Bullock, S.H., Mooney, H.A., and Medina, E. eds.
1995. Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests. Cambridge
290
J. Aronson et al
Gillespie T.G., and Jaffr, T. 2003. Tropical dry forest

in New Caledonia. Biodiversity and Conservation
12:16871697.
Janzen, D.H. 2002. Tropical dry forest: Area de Conservacin Guanacaste, northwestern Costa Rica.
In: Perrow, M., and Davy, A. eds. Handbook of
Ecological Restoration, Vol. 2 Restoration in Practise. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK,
pp. 559583.
Lowry, P.P., II, Munzinger, J., Bouchet, P., Graux, H.,
Bauer, A., Langrand, O., and Mittermeier, R.A.
2004. New Caledonia. In: Mittermeier, R.A.,
Robles Vil, P., Hoffman, M., Pilgrim, J., Brooks, T.,
Mittermeier, C.G., Lamoreux, J.L., and da Fonseca,
G.A.B. eds. Hotspots Revisited: Earths Biologically Richest and Most Threatened Ecoregions (in
press).
Roth, L.C. 2001. Subsistence Farmers and Perverse
Protection of Tropical Dry Forest. Journal of
Forestry 99:2027.
Additional Reading
Aronson, J., and Saravia Toledo, C. 1992. Caesalpinia
paraguariensis: forage tree for all seasons. Economic Botany 46:121132.
Dirzo, R. 2001. Forest ecosystems functioning,
threats and value: Mexico as a case study. In:
Chichilnisky, G., Daily, G.C., Ehrlich, P., Heal, G.,

and Miller, J. eds. Managing Human-Dominated
Ecosystems. Monographs in Systematic Botany
from the Missouri Botanical Garden, vol. 84. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis, MO, pp.
4764.
Elliot, S., Navakitbumrung, P., Kuarak, C., Zangkum,
S., Anusarnsunthorn, V., and Blakesley, D. 2003.
Selecting framework tree species to restore seasonally dry tropical forest in northern Thailand
based on eld performance. Forest Ecology and
Gordon, J.E., Hawthorne, W.D., Reyes-Garcia, A.,
Sandoval, G., and Barrance, A.J. 2004. Assessing
landscapes: a case study of tree and shrub diversity in the seasonally dry forest of Oaxaca, Mexico
and southern Honduras. Biological Conservation
117:429442.
Janzen, D.H. 1988. Tropical dry forests: the most
endangered major tropical ecosystem. In: Wilson,
E.O. ed. Biodiversity. National Academy Press,
Washington, DC, pp. 130137.
Lerdau, M., Whitbeck, J., and Hollbrook, N.M. 1991.
Tropical deciduous forest: death of a biome.Trends
in Ecology and Evolution 6:201202.
Murphy, P.G., and Lugo, A.E. 1986. Ecology of tropical dry forest. Annual Review of Ecology and
Systematics 17:6788.
42
Restoring Tropical Moist
Broad-Leaf Forests
David Lamb

Three issues make tropical moist forests
more difcult to restore: (1) the sheer diversity of plant and animal species that they
usually hold, (2) very little is known about
the ecology of most of these species, and
(3) the human populations living in most
degraded tropical landscapes are often poor
and with few resources.
Some of the key questions to consider when
restoring tropical moist forests are: (1) which
species to use, (2) where to get the seeds, (3)
how to raise the seedlings and establish them
in plantations, (4) how to ensure animal and
plant diversity, and (5) how to make restoration attractive to landowners.
All stakeholders must derive some benets
if restoration is to succeed.
It is likely to be difcult to restore all the
original biodiversity and some more intermediate stage may be all that is possible. If
particular key species are of interest, they
may need to be restored separately.
1. Background and
Degraded tropical landscapes now cover large
areas. The nature and extent of these areas
varies considerably, with some being so
degraded that they have crossed an ecological

threshold and been transformed into grasslands. Some of these grasslands are extensive
and relatively homogeneous, and contain only
a few remnant patches of undisturbed woody
vegetation. Other tropical moist forest areas
have been less disturbed but have lost their
closed canopies and much of their previous
structure and biological diversity. Many
degraded landscapes now contain a mosaic
of grassland and degraded forest together
with patches of intact remnant forest. These
degraded lands also differ in the extent to
which they are occupied and used by human
populations. Some are so degraded that only
small human populations remain, while others
are still heavily used by large numbers of
farmers. These differences mean there are no
simple prescriptions for restoring degraded
tropical landscapes. The approach used in any
location must take account of both the ecological and social circumstances present.
Of course, the same could be said of many
degraded lands other than those occupied by
tropical moist broad-leaved forests. And tropical forests are usually found in environments
where plants grow quickly so that the potential
for successional development and recovery
is relatively rapid. But three particular issues
make these ecosystems rather more difcult to
restore than most. First is the sheer diversity of
plant and animal species usually present in
undisturbed tropical moist forests that must be
considered if forests are to be restored. Second,
very little is known about the ecology of most
291
292
D. Lamb
of these species. Third, the human populations

living in most degraded tropical landscapes are
often poor and have few resources. Indeed,
their poverty may have been part of the reason
the lands were degraded in the rst place. If
restoration is to be successful, it must help overcome this rural poverty. This often means complete biodiversity restoration is rarely achieved
over large areas.
2. Examples
2.1. Restoration via Natural
Succession
Large areas of tropical forest have developed
on old farmland in Puerto Rico following the
abandonment of farming on many areas across
the island in the 1940s. This succession has
occurred with little active intervention and represents a major increase in forest cover at little
direct cost. The regenerated forest now has a
density, basal area, above-ground biomass and
species richness similar to that of old-growth
forests. However, the species composition is
different from that in old-growth forests, suggesting some intervention will be needed if the
missing species are to be recovered.365
2.2. Intensive Restoration

After Mining
One of the most intensive ecological restoration projects in the humid tropics is that which
took place after bauxite mining in Brazil. In
this case extensive research by the mining
company had identied the plant and animal
species present and revealed something of
their ecology. Restoration was expensive
and involved intensive site preparation (respreading topsoil, deep ripping) and replanting.
Seedlings of 160 species were established at
densities of around 2500 trees per hactare.
Monitoring has also taken place to identify
potential problems. Thirteen years after the
project commenced, most of the original plant
species are now present at the site and many
wildlife species are beginning to recolonise the

area.366
2.3. Restoration to Increase

Landscape Linkages
Fragmentation is a common outcome of disturbance in many tropical areas. If these remnants
can be linked by corridors, it should be possible
to rejoin the isolated populations of plants
and wildlife species. Such a corridor has been
created in north Queensland. In this case the
corridor is 1.5 km long and 100 m wide. The
boundaries have also been sealed with an
additional boundary of dense crowned tree
species to minimise the so-called edge effect.
The new forest was created using dense tree
seedling plantings (less than 2-m spacing)
and involved about 100 tree species. Intensive
weeding meant that canopy closure was rapid.
Additional plant species have colonised the site
from intact forest at each end of the corridor.367
2.4. Single Species Plantations

Catalyse Restoration
Most traditional forest plantations use a single
species grown in a monoculture. These are commonly planted at an original density of around
1100 trees per hectare, which means canopy
closure is rapid and weeds are quickly
excluded. Thereafter, thinning is carried out
and the trees are harvested at the end of the
rotationcommonly about 40 years. If these
plantations are near intact forests they can
acquire a signicant understorey of native plant
species. If no thinning is carried out and
the plantations remain unlogged, a signicant
diversity of plant species may accumulate. This
is often greater than would have occurred if the
site had remained unplanted (because of the
competitive abilities of weeds and grasses or
because of recurrent res that would have continued to burn the site). Several 60-year-old
monoculture plantations (conifer and broadleaved hardwood) in northern Australia have
366
365
Aide et al, 2000; Zimmerman et al, 2000.
Knowles and Parrotta, 1995; Parrotta and Knowles,

1999.
367
Goosem and Tucker, 1995; Tucker, 2000a,b.
42. Restoring Tropical Moist Broad-Leaf Forests
acquired more than 350 species of trees, shrubs,

epiphytes, vines, and herbs from nearby intact
forest. Some of the trees have now grown up to
join the canopy layers transforming the monoculture to a complex species-rich community. It
should be noted, though, that in most monospecic plantations, active management for
production prevents this from happening.368
2.5. Using High-Value

Native Species
Malaysia has had a long silvicultural history. It
is perhaps best known for the work carried out
on devising silvicultural methods for natural
forests, but signicant areas of plantation
have also been established. Much early work
involved plantations of exotic species such as
pine or Acacia. But more recently there have
been a large number of species trials to
examine the silviculture of native species when
these are grown in simple monoculture plantations as well as in more complex plantation
designs.369
2.6. Reforestation in an Extensively

Cleared Landscape
Large areas of Vietnam have been deforested.
Extensive reforestation using mostly exotic
species of genera such as Eucalyptus and
Acacia has been carried out in recent years.
Land is now being allocated to farmers and
many are interested in reforestation. Very few
of these farmers are interested in restoration
because they cannot afford to be. This is despite
Vietnam being a biodiversity-rich country.
What is more likely to occur is that the landscape will evolve as a mosaic of agricultural
land and small plantations. Many of these plantations will be composed of native species and
some will contain simple mixtures of two or
three species. The identity of these will vary
from site to site. This means site diversity will
remain modest, although landscape diversity
will be enhanced. Opportunities for more
species-rich plantations and more complex
368
369
Keenan et al, 1997.

Akioka, 1999, Appanah and Weinland, 1993.
293
forms of silviculture may develop in the future

as the standard of living increases, and are
being tested in many rural areas within
Vietnam.
3. Outline of Tools
3.1. Choosing a Method
for Restoration
A variety of approaches have been used to
restore tropical moist broad-leaved forests, and
some of these are summarised in Overview of
Technical approaches to Restoring Tree Cover
at the Site Level. Where funds are limited and
regrowth forests are widespread it is probably
more appropriate simply to protect these secondary forests from further disturbances and
allow successional development to take place.
Under most situations species-rich and structurally complex forests will then develop over
time (see example 2.1 above). These forests
will not necessarily regain all of the original
plant or animal species. For example, poorly
dispersed large-seeded plant species may be
absent and wildlife with specialised habitat
requirements may not be able to reach the
regenerated forest. Determining which, if any,
species have not reoccupied a particular site
requires knowledge of the original forest biota
and also necessitates that some form of monitoring is carried out to determine the extent of
the recovery process. Once the identity of any
missing species is known, action may be taken
to attempt to remedy these losses.
Some more active form of intervention will
be needed where regrowth forest is absent or
where the opportunities for recolonisation
are more limited (e.g., because fragments of
the original forest are more distant). This may
involve an initial planting with a short-lived fast
growing tree species that shades out weeds and
grasses. These trees can then be underplanted
with specic target species. Alternatively, direct
planting of all the target species can be done
to initiate restoration. Active intervention like
this requires signicant funds, which are usually
available only for purely restoration purposes
294
D. Lamb
under certain conditions (see example 2.3).

More commonly, reforestation will be carried
out only where landowners expect to derive
a benet themselves, and in most cases this
means some form of commercial harvesting will
be required. Active intervention in these circumstances can range over a variety of methods
and may involve enrichment planting of
regrowth forests or some form of mixed-species
plantation establishment. Any biodiversity
benet from this reforestation will necessarily
require the landowner to strike a compromise
between optimising production and optimising
the recovery of biodiversity present at that site.
Under these circumstances production can
involve timber trees as well as nontimber products (e.g., nuts, fruit, etc.) and the plantations
may involve trees as well as understorey plantings of medicinal plants or cash crops. That is,
there may be a range of possibilities available
that offer different degrees of biodiversity gain
as well as benets for stakeholders.
as pines, eucalypts, and Acacia that can grow

well at these poorer sites. These offer production benets but they contribute few ecological
services. The reason for this choice is because
managers are often unaware of the full range of
options available to them or because they have
been unable or unwilling to risk the various
alternatives.
3.2.2. Where to Get Seed?

It is often difcult to get seed for many tropical forest species. Most species are usually
present as scattered, isolated trees in relatively
sparse populations, and most species have
irregular fruiting patterns. Many also produce
seed for only a short period and this seed
can be difcult to store. This means it can be
hard to collect seed from natural forests for
large-scale plantings. But it may be even more
difcult to collect seed from an adequate
number of parent trees in heavily degraded
landscapes.
3.2. Some Key Questions

to Consider
Irrespective of which form of active intervention is used, several key problems commonly
occur. These follow from the three issues
referred to initially in the introduction.
3.2.1. Which Species to Use?

Moist tropical forests contain a variety of
species and little is usually known about the
ecology of most of these except for a comparative handful that might once have been harvested for timber. Since tree planting is mostly
undertaken in the expectation of some commercial gain there is a tendency to use those
species with the highest timber values. But
these indigenous species often have particular
site requirements and many are comparatively
slow-growing.This means that plantations using
these species have often failedespecially
when the lands available for reforestation are
poorer quality lands or where weeds are dominant. This has increasingly led plantation managers to use a relatively small number of faster
growing and more tolerant exotic species such
3.2.3. How to Raise Seedlings and

Establish These in Plantations?
Some species germinate readily and quickly
reach a size suitable for planting. But other
species germinate irregularly or need up to a
year in a nursery before they can be planted in
the eld. Some species also depend on specialised mycorrhiza which may have been lost
from the eld when soil fertility has been
depleted and sites have been degraded. This
means that care needs to be taken to inoculate
these species in nurseries prior to planting.
In short, different species require different
forms of nursery treatment in the nursery.
This makes it difcult to raise seedlings of,
say, 100 species to plant together in the eld
on a particular planting date. Species also differ
in their capacity to become established in the
eld and tolerate acid soils, low nutrient levels,
or full sunlight. Optimal conditions for one
species may be suboptimal for another. Unfortunately, little is known about the attributes
and tolerances of most moist tropical forest
species.
3.2.4. How to Make Large-Scale

Tree Planting Attractive to
Land Managers?
Intensive restoration using large numbers of
species to reestablish plant biodiversity rapidly
over a large area is an expensive undertaking.
Unless there is some kind of early nancial
return relatively few landowners are likely to
be able to afford to use this approach. On the
other hand, some individuals or communities
may take the view that nancial gains are less
important than the provision of a range of
forest services. In such cases reforestation that
provides a production benet whilst also generating some biodiversity or functional gain
may be more attractive. The question in these
circumstances may then be what kind of a production-biodiversity trade-off to make. Some of
the site-based alternatives are outlined in the
chapter on interventions (cited above), and the
choice of which of these to use will depend on
both ecological and socioeconomic circumstances. The most likely solution will be that the
landscape will contain a mosaic of approaches,
with some areas being devoted to intensive production while others such as riverine areas or
steep slopes will be reforested largely for protection or biodiversity benets.
3.2.5. How to Foster Animal as Well as

Plant Diversity
It is commonly assumed that many wildlife
species will recolonise reforested areas once
successional development has generated sufcient habitat complexity. While this may be
broadly true, many species require certain
minimum areas to be reforested before they
recolonise, and particular species sometimes
have specialised habitat or resource requirements. Such species will require more detailed
study before any restoration programme is successful. Of course, a more general prerequisite
is that any wildlife remaining in undisturbed
forest remnants in the region are able to reach
the newly reforested areas.That is, reforestation
should seek to provide linkages across the landscape to allow wildlife to move from residual
forest areas into the newly restored forests.
295
4. Future Needs
There are several key issues that commonly
limit the restoration of tropical moist forests:
4.1. Silviculture and Ecology of Key

Structuring Species
There is little knowledge of the ecology of
many of the key species needed to initiate successional development in tropical forests. This
includes knowledge of fruiting and seeding
phenology as well as information on where to
obtain seed of these species, how to store this
seed, how to raise seedlings, and how to establish these seedlings in the eld.
4.2. Species-Site Relationships

There is often surprisingly little knowledge of
the distribution patterns and site requirements
of most tropical tree species. This problem is
often even more acute because many sites at
which a particular species was once found are
now degraded in some way, for example, they
have suffered a decline in soil fertility. This may
mean a two-stage approach is needed in which
the rst plantings (e.g., a nitrogen-xing
species) modify the sites and make them more
suitable for the target species. The preferred
species might then be introduced as an underplanting or after the rst forest has been harvested and removed (thereby paying for the
cost of rehabilitation).
4.3. Methods of Enriching

Degraded or Regrowth Forests
There are increasing areas of degraded or
regrowth forests (regenerating after some disturbance such as agriculture or severe logging).
These have lower levels of plant and animal
biodiversity than the original forest. They often
have a reduced ability to supply goods and services to communities living nearby. One way of
overcoming both these problems is to accelerate their recovery by enriching these forests
with certain target species (e.g., endangered or
rare species; species providing commercially
attractive nontimber forest products). But
296
D. Lamb
methods for doing this are often expensive or

inefcient, and better, more effective means are
needed.
4.4. Overcoming Impediments to

Farm Forestry
Farm forestry is one means by which signicant
areas of land might be reforested and rural
poverty might be tackled. Many farmers are
interested in planting trees on land not needed
for food production or other purposes. But
these farmers may be prevented from doing so
because of land tenure arrangements, nancial
constraints, limits on harvesting, or a lack of
knowledge about the species best suited to the
sites they have available. Such species must be
ecologically appropriate and nancially suitable. The impediments to farm forestry are
often specic to particular sites and so will need
specic solutions. A general principle, however,
is that beneciaries of reforestation (downstream land users, catchment authorities,
conservation authorities, etc.) should assist
landowners with the costs of reforestation.
4.5. Better Market Information

for Farmers
Isolated traditional farming communities
develop agricultural and silvicultural systems
appropriate for their particular circumstances.
But the arrival of roads and a cash economy
usually means a major change is needed in the
way they manage their crops and land. In many
cases they become beholden to middlemen or
timber buyers so that farming activities are
carried out to suit these players rather than
the farming community itself. As the areas of
natural forests decline, better information is
needed on the real value of certain tree crops
and, potentially, the emerging market for ecological services.
References
Aide,T.M., Zimmerman, J.K., Pascarella, J.B., Rivera,
L., and Marcano-Vega, H. 2000. Forest regeneration in a chronosequence of tropical abandoned
pastures: implications for restoration ecology.

Akioka, J. 1999. The Multi-Storied Forest Management Project in Malaysia. Forest Department,
Peninsular Malaysia, Perak State Forestry
Department, Japan International Cooperation
Agency.
Appanah, S., and Weinland, G. 1993. Planting quality
timber trees in Peninisular Malaysia: a Review.
Malayan Forest record No. 38. Forest Research
Institute of Malaysia, Kepong, Malaysia.
Goosem, S., and Tucker, N. 1995. Repairing the
rainforest: theory and practice of rainforest reestablishment in north Queenslands Wet Tropics.
Wet Tropics Management Authority, Cairns,
Australia.
Keenan, R., Lamb, D., Woldring, O., Irvine, A., and
Jensen, R. 1997. Restoration of plant diversity beneath tropical tree plantations in northern Australia.
Forest Ecology and Management 99:117132.
Knowles, O.H., and Parrotta, J. 1995. Amazonian
forest restoration: an innovative system for native
species selection based on phenological data and
performance indices. Commonwealth Forestry
Review 74:230243.
Parrotta, J., and Knowles, H. 1999. Restoration
of tropical moist forests on bauxite mined lands
in the Brazillian Amazon. Restoration Ecology
7:103116.
Tucker, N. 2000a. Wildlife colonization of restored
tropical lands: what can it do, how can we hasten
it and what can we expect? In Elliott, S., Kerby, J.,
Blakesley, D., Hardwick, K., Woods, K., and
Anusarnsunthorn, V., eds. Forest Restoration
for Wildlife Conservation. International Tropical
Timbers Organisation and Forest Restoration
Research Unit, University of Chiang Mai,
Thailand, pp. 279295.
Tucker, N. 2000b. Linkage restoration: interpreting
fragmentation theory for the design of rainforest
linkage in the humid wet tropics of north-east
Queensland. Ecological Management and
Restoration 1:3541.
Zimmerman, J., Pascarella, J., and Aide, T. 2000.
Barriers to forest regeneration in an abandoned
pasture in Puerto Rica. Restoration Ecology
8:350360.
Additional Reading
Banerjee, A. 1995. Rehabilitation of Degraded
Forests in Asia. World Bank Technical Paper No.
270. World Bank, Washington, DC.

International Tropical Timbers Organisation 2002.
ITTO Guidelines for the restoration, management
and rehabilitation of degraded and secondary
tropical forests. ITTO Policy Development Series
No. 13. Yokohama, Japan.
Krishnapillay, B., ed. 2002. A Manual for Forest
Plantation Establishment in Malaysia. Malayan
297
Forest Records No. 45. Forest Research Institute,

Malaysia.
Lamb, D. 1998. Large-scale ecological restoration of
degraded tropical forest land: the potential role of
timber plantations. Restoration Ecology 6:271
279.
43
Restoring Tropical Montane Forests
Manuel R. Guariguata

Many characteristics of tropical montane
forests make them a unique habitat for biodiversity, but they also have important economic and social values such as providing
protection from landslides, and steady and
clean water downstream.
Tools and approaches for restoring montane
forests are not very different from those
used in the lowlands; however, factors that
may inuence the outcome of a given restoration activity in montane areas are steep,
erosion prone slopes, exposure to strong
winds, and slow plant growth rates.
In the context of landscape scale restoration,
there is a need to address the ecological and
social linkages between tropical montane
forests and their surrounding lowlands.
1. Background and
1.1. Main Characteristics of
Tropical Montane Forests
Drastic changes in elevation, precipitation, and
direction of prevailing winds across small altitudinal ranges generate high levels of species
and habitat diversity in tropical montane forests. Also, because of their cool ambient temperatures, tropical montane forests serve as
298
refugia of relict tree populations that are more

typical of temperate latitudes. Moreover, tropical montane forests are home to unique vertebrate faunafor example, mountain gorillas
(Gorilla beringei beringei) in Africa, quetzals
(Pharomachrus mocinno) in Central America,
and spectacled bears (Tremarctos ornatus) in
South Americaand serve as elevational corridors for many bird species during times of seasonal food scarcity.Tropical montane forests are
sometimes found as isolated patches within a
matrix of either contrasting climate conditions
(e.g., surrounded by desert vegetation such as in
northwestern Venezuela) or vegetation types
(e.g., surrounded by pine-oak forest in Mexico),
which adds to their conservation value.
Other key characteristics of tropical montane
forests are steep slopes with associated thin,
infertile soils, chronic exposure to strong winds,
low levels of solar radiation, and reduced rates
of organic matter decomposition, all of which
contribute to overall slow plant growth. From a
restoration perspective, this means that recovering desired levels of forest structure and
composition may take longer than in the surrounding lowlands.
1.2. Socioeconomic Rationale

for Restoring Tropical
Montane Forests
Restoration of tropical montane forests can
full both economic and conservation objectives. Landslides, for example, are a major
source of damage to roads, dams, and human
settlements in many montane areas. By restor-
43. Restoring Tropical Montane Forests
ing forest cover in deforested, landslide-prone

sites, further mass erosion can be minimised
through substrate stabilisation. In humandeforested areas, restoration of tropical
montane forests may also be justied for the
provision of environmental services as they
play a critical role in the local hydrological
cycle due to their role in cloud interception,
especially in areas that do not receive much
precipitation. Forest conservation elsewhere,
however, may need to be actively linked to
forest restoration in the uplands. For example,
reduced forest cover in lowland areas could
leave adjacent montane forests with not too
many clouds to intercept.370
1.3. Restoring Montane Forests

in the Face of Natural
Disturbance
Although suppressing human disturbances such
as re and uncontrolled grazing is a key initial
strategy of a given restoration initiative, taking
into account the effects of natural disturbances
on forest restoration may also be critical for
success. For example, montane forests located in
many tropical islands are usually prone to suffering severe hurricane damage as much as
three times per century. In this case, options may
include planting tree species with a known
ability to resprout after stem breakage, with
high stem wood density, or with specic architectural features; many palm species, for
example, are known to survive hurricanes very
well. Identication of naturally occurring,
landslide-chronic areas may also help to prioritise or avoid investing in potentially costly restoration efforts that otherwise might be wasted.
2. Examples
2.1. Mount Kenya371
Mount Kenya is situated in the central highlands of Kenya. The national park is 715,000
hectares and it was gazetted in 1949. The sur370
371
Lawton et al, 2001.

Carlsson and Lambrechts, 1999; Emerton, 1999.
299
rounding forest reserves add another 1820 km2

of protected area, making Mount Kenya the
largest area of natural forest in the country.
The forest forms a major water catchment
area from which two of the countrys ve river
basinsthe Tana and Ewaso Nyirorise, which
together supply water to more than a quarter
of Kenyas human population and more than
half of its land area. Water users include the ve
main hydroelectric power sources, agricultural
land, pastoralist range lands, and major urban
centres.
Threats to the surrounding forests include
illegal logging, charcoal production, cultivation
of bhang, and encroachment. The glaciers on
the mountain are also retreating because of
global warming and climate change. A number
of initiatives are now being undertaken
together with communities to address the conservation and restoration needs of the montane
forest. These are interesting examples of community initiatives of land management, restoration and protection of a unique environment in
Kenya.
2.2. Sierra de las Minas, Guatemala

The Sierra de las Minas in Guatemala contains
a biological treasure. At least 885 species of
birds, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles, which
amounts to 70 percent of all the species from
these groups that are known to exist in
Guatemala and neighbouring Belize can be
found here. It is also an important tropical gene
bank of conifers with 17 distinct endemic evergreen species. The area is thus considered an
irreplaceable seed resource for reforestation
and agroforestry throughout the tropics.
Besides its robust population of diverse ora
and fauna, the Sierra de las Minas plays an
important role in providing fresh, clean water
to the many farms and villages in the Polochic
and Motagua valleys below. More than 63 permanent rivers drain the reserve, making it the
countrys biggest single water resource. Local
people depend on these small rivers for their
agricultural crops (e.g., melon, tobacco, grapes,
citric fruits, tomatoes). Bigger industries, such
as soft drinks, fertiliser and paper-recycling
plants, and hydroelectricity all rely on water
300
M.R. Guariguata
generated at the Ro Hondo station. A drop of

40 percent in water ow in the last 10 years has
been attributed to forest loss.
Since October 1990 the reserve has been
managed by a local nongovernmental organisation (NGO), Defensores de la Naturaleza. The
reserves managers are engaged in an environmental education programme designed to persuade local community leaders of the need to
protect, manage, and restore the forests in
Sierra de las Minas in such a way that they can
continue to offer the services locally but also
downstream. Payment schemes have been set
up (see Payment for Environmental Services
and Restoration for more information on such
schemes) to ensure that those engaged in protecting and restoring the watershed, are paid by
the beneciaries downstream.372
3. Outline of Tools
3.1. Overcoming Barriers to
Natural Succession
Assessing patterns of tropical montane forest
succession following pasture abandonment, or
after natural disturbances such as landslides,
can provide important clues when designing
restoration activities and when selecting what
species to plant (or not) under a given level of
site degradation. For example, in many tropical
montane forests, those canopy tree species that
dominate old-growth stands are the same
colonisers of open, deforested areas.373 Thus if
a restoration goal is to re-create original species composition, the selection of these particular species could be an appropriate choice.
Simple observations and experiments in sites
that merit restoration can also help to discern
what are main biotic and abiotic barriers that
could be retarding natural forest recovery when
designing a project. For instance (as in the lowlands), one of the main factors that retards
forest recovery in tropical mountains is poor
seed dispersal rates from adjacent forest.374

Even when lack of seed supply is overcome,
however, grasses and ferns that thrive in abandoned pastures tend to suppress growth and
survival of tree seedlings; hence the removal of
competing vegetation seems necessary during
tree planting.375 Controlled grazing can also
facilitate both the establishment of planted
trees and natural forest recovery through secondary succession.376
Another common barrier to the natural
recovery of tropical montane forests is high
rates of vertebrate seed predation in deforested
areas. In other cases, reduced nutrient levels
due to soil compaction or recurring res can
impede forest recovery even when seed survival is high. In short, strategies to restore
tropical montane forests may need to be
assessed on a case-by-case basis, and designed
whenever possible for overcoming simultaneous barriers.377
3.2. Forest Plantations and the Role

of Remnant Forest
Tree plantations in tropical montane areas can
full both conservation and production purposes as part of a restoration strategy. Yet, the
choice of what species to plant must be made
carefully, and it may be better to invest some
time in selecting the appropriate species378
rather than planting whatever is available in the
local nursery. Tree species with high growth
rates, prolic regeneration, or with any other
desirable attributes can be easily identied
after a few months of observations when published information is not readily available
(Fig. 43.1).
Under conditions of severe soil degradation,
for example, good candidate species are those
that can quickly provide a closed forest canopy
while improving soil fertility. However, in some
cases, this alternative may be only part of an
374
375
372
376
373
377
http://www.planeta.com/planeta/97/0897guatemala.html.
Guariguata, 1990; Kappelle et al, 1996; Venegas and
Camacho, 2001.
378
Shiels and Walker, 2003.

Pedraza and Williams-Linera, 2003.
Posada et al, 2000.
See an example in Holl et al, 2000.
See an example in Knowles and Parrotta, 1995.
43. Restoring Tropical Montane Forests
301
Figure 43.1. Establishment of a

forest plantation for restoring tropical cloud forest in abandoned
pasture in Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico.
The plantation consists of a mix of
species typical of primary forest
(Quercus and Fagus) and early
successional species (Heliocarpus
and Trema). (Photo Guadalupe
Williams-Linera.)
overall restoration strategy. For example, plantations of the fast growing, nitrogen-xing tree
Alnus acuminata in the Colombian Andes may
not be the best long-term restoration tool as
they seem to harbour fewer plant species in the
understorey compared to similarly aged secondary forests following natural regeneration.379 In severely degraded sites, however,
planting nitrogen xing trees such as Alnus can
be an option in the short term as they help to
recover soil productivity.
Planted windbreaks in montane agricultural
landscapes are known to facilitate tree colonisation by increasing seed dispersal rates from
nearby, remnant forest. The location and spatial
arrangement of agricultural windbreaks as a
restoration tool may be important in production landscapes where the enhancement of
ecological connectivity and biodiversity recuperation is also a management objective.
Planted windbreaks that are connected to
forest may harbour more naturally dispersed
seeds and contain higher diversity in their
understoreys than those not connected.380 This
means that in some cases both the size and
relative location of remnant forest fragments
need to be considered when designing a given
restoration strategy.
379
380
Murcia, 1997.
Harvey, 2000.
4. Future Needs
Currently, most tropical montane forests are
highly fragmented. As a consequence, many of
their component vertebrate species may be
locally extinct either because of the small
habitat area of the remaining fragments, or
because those plant species that provide them
with food resources are absent, or both.381 In
some cases, tropical montane forest restoration
could focus on connecting existing fragments
via forest plantations as a way to facilitate altitudinal bird migration, and therefore seed dispersal. More research is needed to support the
selection of appropriate sets of plant characteristics, as well as the spatial arrangement of
the planted trees in order to favour interpatch
animal movement and habitat useand not
necessarily to restore forest cover per se.
References
Carlsson, U., and Lambrechts, C. 1999. Community
initiatives and individual action on and around
Mount Kenya National Park. Paper presented at
the East Africa Environmental Network (EAEN)
381
Cordeiro and Howe, 2001.
302
M.R. Guariguata
Annual Conference, 2829 May 1999, Nairobi,

Kenya.
Cordeiro, N.J., and Howe, H.F. 2001. Low recruitment
of trees dispersed by animals in African forest
fragments. Conservation Biology 15:17331741.
Emerton, L. 1999. Mount Kenya: the economics of
community conservation. Evaluating Eden Series,
discussion paper No.4. International Institute for
Environment and Development, London.
Guariguata, M.R. 1990. Landslide disturbance and
forest regeneration in the upper Luquillo mountains of Puerto Rico. Journal of Ecology 78:
814832.
Harvey, C.A. 2000. Colonization of agricultural windbreaks by forest trees: effects of connectivity and
remnant trees. Ecological Applications 10:1762
1773.
Holl, K.D., Loik, M.E., Lin, E.H.V., and Samuels, I.A.
2000. Tropical montane forest restoration in Costa
Rica: overcoming barriers to dispersal and establishment. Restoration Ecology 8:339349.
Kappelle, M., Geuze, T., Leal, M., and Cleef, A.M.
1996. Successional age and forest structure in a
Costa Rican upper montane Quercus forest.
Journal of Tropical Ecology 12:681698.
Knowles, O.H., and Parrotta, J.A. 1995. Amazonian
forest restoration: an innovative system for native species selection based on phenological data
and eld performance indices. Commonwealth
Forestry Review 74:230243.
Lawton, R.O., Nair, U.S., Pielke, R.A., and Welch,
R.M. 2001. Climatic impact of tropical lowland
deforestation on nearby montane cloud forests.
Science 294:584587.
Murcia, C. 1997. Evaluation of Andean alder as a

catalyst for the recovery of tropical cloud forests
in Colombia. Forest Ecology and Management
99:163170.
Pedraza, R.A., and Williams-Linera, G. 2003. Evaluation of native tree species for the rehabilitation
of deforested areas in a Mexican cloud forest. New
Forests 26:8399.
Posada, J.M., Aide, T.M., and Cavelier, J. 2000. Cattle
and weedy shrubs as restoration tools of tropical
montane rainforest. Restoration Ecology 8:370
379.
Shiels, A.B., and Walker, L.R. 2003. Bird perches
increase forest seeds on Puerto Rican landslides.
Venegas, G., and Camacho, M. 2001. Efecto de un
tratamiento silvicultural sobre la dinmica de un
bosque secundario montano en Villa Mills, Costa
Rica. Serie Tcnica No. 322. CATIE, Turrialba,
Costa Rica.
Additional Reading
Bubb, P., May, I., Miles, L., and Sayer, J.. 2004.
Cloud Forest Agenda. UNEP-WCMC, Cambridge,
UK.
Guariguata, M.R., and Kattan, G.H., eds. 2002.
Ecologia y conservacion de bosques neotropicales.
Editorial Libro Universitario Regional, Costa
Rica.
Kappelle, M., and Brown, A., eds. 2001. Bosques
nublados del neotropico. InBio, Costa Rica.
Case Study: Conserving the Cloud

Forests of Mount Rinjani, Lombok
Jeff Sayer and Triagung Rooswiadji
Rising majestically from lowland rice paddies

to a height of 3726 m, Gunung Rinjani dominates the Indonesian Island of Lombok. The
upper slopes of the mountain are clothed in
cloud forest. The winds coming in off the sea
cool as they are funnelled up the slopes of the
mountain, moisture condenses onto the vegetation, and as a result the trees are permanently wet and are festooned in epiphytic
orchids, lichens, and mosses. These forests are
home to rare birds, black ebony leaf monkeys,
barking deer, leopard cats, and palm civets.
The forests are now under intense pressure.
Lombok is one of Indonesias poorest and
most densely populated islands. Pressure for
land has always been intense but the problem
has become much worse in recent years. First,
following the Asian economic crisis in 1997
large numbers of Lombok people who had
been migrant workers in Malaysia were sent
home. Many of them returned to farming.
Then the Bali bombing in 2001 had a huge
impact on the tourist industry. As a result, the
local Sassak people have fallen on hard times.
A large part of their income came from work
in hotels and restaurants, and from producing
the beautiful handicrafts for which Lombok
is renowned. Lack of cash employment is
forcing them back onto the land. And with 2.9
million people crowded onto this 5625 km2
island, it is hard to make a living from traditional agriculture alone.
In theory, Gunung Rinjanis cloud forests
the only ones left on Lombokare legally
protected. But the Forest Department nds it

difcult to enforce the laws when they cannot
offer any alternative to the poverty stricken
farmers. A large swathe of forest on the lower
slopes has now been reduced to a patchwork
of small elds, scattered trees, scrub, and
grasses. Fires originating in these degraded
areas are beginning to eat into the rich forests
higher up the mountain.
This has implications for the entire island.
Rinjanis forests act as water collectors for all
of Lombok. Water owing from the misty
upper slopes irrigates the highly productive
rice cultures of the plains and supplies domestic water to the towns and tourist resorts. Now
the rice farmers in the lowlands are complaining that there is not enough water for
their crops in the dry season, and they experience an increased number of oods when it
rains.
In response to the crisis, Lomboks provincial government has linked up with the global
conservation organisation WWF, and the U.K.
to devise a strategy that can protect the forests
and their vital watershed functions and still
provide land and employment for the people.
As a contribution to this effort we have
been developing a simple computer model to
try and unravel the complexity of the Rinjani
social-ecological system. The model uses the
STELLA software and enables us to investigate the main drivers of land cover change
and links between these changes and the
303
304
J. Sayer and T. Rooswiadji
livelihoods of the people. The model has been

developed with local stakeholders and it has
been useful in making their assumptions and
interests more explicit.
We began by investigating the possibilities
for making environmental payments to
upland farmers in return for better farming
and forestry practices. A bottled water
company in the lowlands indicated that a
modest amount of money could be available
for this programme. The 42,000 water users in
the provincial capital Mataram have agreed to
a small levy to pay for watershed protection.
However, the model suggested considerable
difculties in this approach.The number of farmers is very highseveral hundred thousand
and payments that were high enough to have
a real impact on their behaviour would cost
more than the amounts that are likely to be
available. Lack of legal clarity about land
rights and the high diversity of farming
systems that they use would combine to make
the management of such payments very
complicated.
The modelling exercise suggested that few
solutions would be effective if they were not
accompanied by more effective application of
laws. But the difcult transition to democracy
that Indonesia is now experiencing and the
economic crisis are combining to make law
enforcement very unpopular amongst the
population.
So far one of the best options that has
emerged has been to abandon government
attempts to protect the watershed forests and,
instead, to parcel out the land to poor people,
who can use it on condition that they plant
trees. This is a rather revolutionary idea. It is
in fact saying that conventional approaches to
watershed management are not workable in
the present economic and social conditions
found on Lombok.The compromise of encouraging the formation of a buffer zone of agroforestry plantations around the base of the
mountain seems like a better option.
The initial trials have centred on the village
of Sesaot. Farmers are given 0.1 hectare of
land and are allowed to grow eld crops for
the rst 4 years, until the trees grow. In the
early years the farmers made money by

growing crops such as chilli peppers between
the tree seedlings. Now they are planting a
wide variety of fruit and even timber trees.
Mangoes, papayas, durians, jackfruit, custard
apples, rambutans, and salak fruit are all being
produced for sale to traders in the provincial
capital Mataram. Jackfruit and macadamia are
especially popular as they produce valuable
fruit and nuts but also timber that is in high
demand for the curio carvers in Bali.
The land remains under forest department
ownership and the farmers have to pay a
small rent for the right to cultivate it. On a
pilot scale this programme has been an
undoubted success, and previously degraded
areas are now covered in protable agroforests. However, the market for fruit and
timber is limited, and unless the general
economy picks up it will be difcult to extend
the scheme to all the degraded areas of protection forest around the mountain.
The agroforestry trees protect the soils and
the water supplies and the people earn a good
living. These articial forests do not have the
same biodiversity values as the natural forests
that used to exist in the protection forests, but
they are better than the degraded scrub and
farmland that covered the sites when the programme began. They offer the hope of providing stable and secure land use around the
lower boundary of the forests.
The success of the agroforestry approach
will be very sensitive to the incomes that
farmers can obtain for their fruit and timber
crops. We are going to continue to use our
model of the Rinjani system to track how both
the environment and peoples livelihoods
evolve over time. The model will provide a
database and monitoring tool that will be used
by the local stakeholder committee to help
understand how the system is performing. It
should help to determine how livelihoods
change over time and how this is linked to
changes in landcover.
The idea of payments for environmental
services is still being pursued but as a complement to other approaches.The isolated hillside
villages have few social services and the
Case Study: Conserving the Cloud Forests of Mount Rinjani, Lombok
peoples lives are still precarious. The people

in the lowlands are richer and the rice farmers
are making money out of the water that ows
from the mountains, so there is some potential
for a small water tax. This will not be given as
cash to the upland farmers but will be used to
build clinics and schools and improve the
roads. The hillside people will get these services only if they respect the agreement and
grow only tree crops.They will lose these social
contributions if they grow tobacco, cassava, or
other annual crops that are bad for soil erosion
and do not conserve water.
305
The situation in Lombok, where valuable

natural forests exist alongside povertystricken people desperate for more land, is
typical of many developing countries in the
tropics.
Rinjani National Park is one of Indonesias
most spectacular natural areas but there is no
way that it can be protected if thousands of
poverty stricken, land-hungry people live
around the base of the mountain. Giving
people rights to some areas of degraded
natural forest may help save the national
park.
44
Restoring Floodplain Forests
Simon Dufour and Herv Pigay

The extent, structure, and diversity of oodplain forests have been strongly modied
by human pressures. Yet they are areas with
a high biological diversity, and specicity,
and riparian areas are important for sh,
amphibians, and mammals and for uvial
system functioning.
Restoration of oodplain forests can be
achieved at three scales: catchment, reach,
and local scales.
Some important tools for restoring oodplain forests include assessment and inventories, monitoring, and integrated river basin
management.
1. Background and
1.1. Characteristics of
Floodplain Forests
Floodplain forests are unique ecosystems that
are located alongside rivers and streams. These
systems derive their characteristics from periodic inundations. The extent, structure, and
diversity of oodplain forests have been
strongly modied by human pressures acting at
the catchment, reach, and local scales. Even
306
though many oodplains in Europe are characterised by natural forestation that began after
the Second World War due to widespread
changes in land-use practices, most European
oodplain forests have disappeared.
Since the 1970s, the scientic community and
land managers have recognised the ecological,
economic, and social values of oodplain forest.
These forests are very valuable because of their
high potential in terms of wood production,
protection of water quality, ood control, recreation, and improvement of the landscape. In
addition, they are natural areas with a high biological diversity and ecological specicity due
to the inuence of water on habitat conditions.
Riparian areas are important for sh, amphibians, and mammals (e.g., beavers). Additionally,
the forests provide breeding habitat for birds,
and are navigational aids and stopover sites for
migrating species (e.g., the songbirds in the
North Platte River). The need to preserve and
restore them is now widely recognised.
Forest ecosystems that are under hydrological control evolved their original ecological
processes in response to their proximity to and
the dynamics of the river. Thus, the periodic
water supply is a key process characterising
oodplain forests. The landwater interfaces
are important areas for biological exchanges,
water supply and content, soil moisture, organic
matter evolution, seed dispersal, and nutrient
cycling.382 Floodplain forests are part of
382
Naiman and Dcamps, 1990.
44. Restoring Floodplain Forests
dynamic systems, and their conservation and

restoration must take into account the hydrogeomorphic processes that structure the catchment and the landscape evolution.
In most cases, it is impossible to re-create
pristine oodplain forest conditions, but mitigation measures can be developed to improve ecosystem quality. For this purpose,
managers must identify practical strategies and
tools.383
1.2. General Principles

The restoration of oodplain forest is often
achieved at three scales:
1. Catchment scale: The improvement (e.g.,
more natural levels) of controlled factors
(discharge, bedload supply) can be done at the
catchment scale or in an upstream branch of
the river network. Such hydrological and sedimentary river improvements have positive
effects on oodplain habitats in terms of
structure and diversity. The success of such
self-restoration options, when they can be
promoted, are difcult to evaluate because of
multiple potential channel adjustments acting
at various timescales.
2. Reach scale (10 to 100 km river length):
The improvement of the hydrological connection between the active channel and the oodplain is an approach that can be accomplished
at the reach scale by modifying the topography
to lower the riparian surface in order to
improve water ow across the oodplain, and
also by raising the groundwater table.
3. Local scale (a few hectares of forest): The
maintenance of the riparian structure slows
down succession (preserves pioneer stages
when the river has lost its capacity to do so) or
favours specic assemblages of the modied
ecosystems (removes exotic species, reforestation in cultivated areas, grazing control).
307
users. The stakes are also less complex with

fewer conicts than those that must be
managed when dealing with entire systems.384
1.2.1. Hydrological Connections

Reestablishment of hydrological uctuation is
a common topic in oodplain restoration, particularly reestablishment of the ood pulse that
inundates forest patches according to their
position within the riparian corridor. For this
purpose, some actions must be promoted at a
large scale, by specic management strategies
controlling water diversion and storage for
hydroelectric and pumping purposes. Increasing minimum ow downstream of dams is one
of the most common options at this scale.
At the reach scale, various options can also
be implemented to reestablish a more active
hydrological connection, such as reinundating
areas by dike removal or reconnecting side
channels. Low-ow in groundwater levels
should also be considered carefully, in particular downstream of dams and in reaches with
active water pumping for agriculture and industries. Managers can then perform some measures to raise the groundwater level, such as
favouring more ow in the oodplains former
channel network or articial groundwater input
from a reservoir or canal.
1.2.2. Bedload Transport
Restoration can be promoted at different

scales depending on the target. The interventions at local scale usually generate fewer problems in terms of social acceptance, because
plots are smaller in size and concern fewer
Restoration of sediment transport is another

process-based option. Complete restoration of
a dynamic system with all types of forest successional stages, when it has been affected
by lateral and longitudinal disconnection
(embankment, dams that interrupt sediment
transfers), must include not only channel shifting, but also bedload transport preservation.
Bedload reintroduction and riparian zone redynamism can be accomplished at the reach
scale by increasing levels of bank erosion and
sediment remobilisation during oods, and by
removing unnecessary dikes. Sediment reintroduction to maintain channel dynamics is being
considered along the Ain River in France,
383
384
FISRWG, 1998.
Hughes, 2003.
308
S. Dufour and H. Pigay
where dam construction in the 1960s disrupted

peak ows and the character of sediment transfers (through a Life Nature Programme).
Even within the framework of process-based
restoration at the basin scale, the problem of
dams and their possible removal sparks considerable debate within the scientic community.
If the solution looks good from an ecological
point of view (i.e., more natural hydrology,
bedload transport, and biological connection),
the reality is much more complex. It is advisable, in particular, to distinguish big dams from
small dams that are located in the upper part of
the channel network. Next, the socioeconomic
context of each dam must be taken into
account. Lastly, all the effects of dam removal
are not known (for example, in the case of
sediment contaminated by organic or inorganic
components).
1.2.3. Forest Structure

Actions proposed at the catchment and reach
scales can be achieved by interventions at ner
scales by focussing on existing forested structures (which is cheaper and easier), through
structural transformation of degraded woodlands or by creating new units.
For existing woodlands, forestry practices
have to be adapted to their specicities. Generally, the ecological aims of restoration will be
to improve biodiversity by respecting some
basic rules that enhance or conserve nearnatural functioning and structuring of the
forest: high vertical complexity of different
strata (uneven age structure), broad range of
different successional states organised as a
patchy mosaic, presence of woody debris, use of
natural regeneration, etc. Such an approach is
proposed in reaches where alluvial forest is still
present but is no longer rejuvenated by channel
processes (primarily bank erosion and ooding). The preservation of pioneer units is best
accomplished articially (cutting). Moreover,
actions can also be performed to ght exotic
species that themselves form monospecic
communities on pioneer biotopes.
For highly disrupted forest structures like
articial plantations, modication of forestry
practices is often not enough, except in the very

long term. Instead, reconversion measures
(dened as transformation of stand structure
with a change of socioeconomic functions) have
to be implemented. This often implies more
intensive and expensive programmes (like
plantations of indigenous species). In agricultural areas, plantation programmes can be promoted at a large scale for biodiversity purposes
but also for ooding management (preserving
areas of low vulnerability that can attenuate the
peak ow), for water quality (buffer strip along
agricultural-river contact), and for global
warming (sequestration of carbon dioxide from
the atmosphere).
2. Examples
Experiences in oodplain forest restoration are
shaped by specic ecological problems, such as
base ow decrease, peak ow cutting, sediment
transport disruption, channel degradation and
groundwater drop down, channel stabilisation,
and diking and ooding protection, and by
socioeconomic issues, industrial or agricultural
water pumping, human pressure on forested
corridor and landscape fragmentation. When
looking at the European examples, a few cases
use a process-based approach, such as on the
Rhone, the Danube, the Elbe, and the Rhine
(Table 44.1). In North America, the objectives
for the Mississippi river and the Chesapeake
Bay watershed (Potomac River, Susquehanna
River) focussed more on water quality improvement (nutrient, pollutant, and sediment
contents).
In other parts of the world, such as in
Malaysia, the objective of oodplain restoration tends to be for the preservation of native
fauna and ora. Finally, for many large rivers, in
particular in recently industrialised countries,
some restoration programmes are in place
(River Ganga, River Yamuna in India,
Amazonas/Solimoes River in the Amazonian
watershed). In these cases the main priority,
even if restoration is considered, often remains
the conservation of natural areas and the decrease of physical and chemical water pollution.
309
Table 44.1. Examples of restoration measures proposed on different large rivers in Europe, America,
and Asia.
Modication of
forestry practices
and laws
Replanting
woodland
To local options
Lowering
oodplain
Raise groundwater
Reconnection of
former channels
Danube River, Austria

Danube River, Bulgaria
Elbe River, Germany
Rhone River, France
Rhine River, France
Chesapeake Bay watershed, U.S.
Lower Mississippi River, U.S.
Middle Sacramento River, U.S.
Kissimmee River Corridor, U.S.
Chikuma River, Japan
Kinabatangan, Malaysia
To reach
Re-inundate by
dike removal or
setting back
Increase modied
minimum ow
From catchment
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
Examples of different restoration measures

proposed on large rivers in Europe, America
and Asia are shown in Table 44.1.
2.1. Restoration of Physical

Processes at the Reach Scale:
The Rhone River (France) on
the Site of la Platire
The Rhone River has been regulated since the
middle of the 19th century to ght ooding, to
improve navigation and irrigation, and to
produce electricity. Along most of its French
course the Rhone is characterised by a
degraded landscape. In the reach of lle de la
Platire (60 km south of Lyon), channel degradation and bank stabilisation caused by the
installation of groins at the end of the 19th
century, water pumping by chemical factories
after 1950, and ow diversion to bypass canals
after 1977 have all led to oodplain-channel
disconnection and lowered the groundwater
table (a loss of 2 m between the end of the 1960s
and 1990). Consequently the forest has become
drier, losing much of its alluvial characteristics.
A restoration project has been in place since
x
x
x
x
1992 to re-inject water into the aquifer by

reconnecting a side channel from which water
can inltrate and raise the groundwater table
by half a metre. The hydrological connection
is still infrequent for some forest patches,
but functionality is greater today than it was
20 years ago. The next step to improve
the hydrological connection is to increase the
minimum ow that is not derived from the
canal for electricity production.
2.2. Buffer Zone Restoration to

Reduce Nutrient Pollution in
the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
In 1983 federal, state, and local stakeholders
established a programme to restore water
quality and health conditions in the Chesapeake
Bay watershed in Virginia and Maryland. The
objective of the programme was to increase
water quality and habitat resources within this
formerly forested watershed (forest covered 95
percent of the watershed 300 years ago versus 6
percent today). One of the main measures was
the restoration of streamside forests along the
hydrographic network. After restoring almost
310
5000 km along the river bank, today the riparian

forest buffers almost 60 percent of the channel
network.This forest growth is complemented by
a decrease in nitrogen and phosphorus utilisation, and has led to a signicant decrease in
nutrient pollution in the bay.
2.3. Actions on Riparian Cover

Characteristics: Reforestation
Along the Kinabatangan
River (Malaysia)385
With the exception of the southeastern part of
the United States, the issue of oodplain forest
restoration in nontemperate areas is a more
recent development than in industrialised
regions. Thus, few projects exist. The restoration
and conservation programme of the Kinabatangan River oodplain forest is one of
the most advanced examples in the tropics.
The forest, located in the Malaysian part of the
island of Borneo, is highly impacted by the
presence of palm plantations. This programme
is carried out by the Sabah Wildlife department,
Sabahs Department of Irrigation, and WWF
Malaysia, and includes several actions, in particular reforestation along the riverbanks and
reconnection of isolated forest fragments. At
the regulatory scale, actions include modifying
the legislation that enables the transformation
of the natural forest patches into palm plantations, and campaigns that inform consumers of
the origin of the palm oil and the forestry practices of the producer.
3. Outline of Tools
Two types of tools must be differentiated: (1)
diagnosis tools to understand the status of the
oodplain ecosystems in terms of diversity and
connectivity, and (2) implementation tools and
methods to use in restoration projects.
3.1. Assessment and Inventory

Before improving any landscape patch, one
needs to understand how the landscape func385
Teoh et al, 2001.
tions, how it has evolved to its present state, and

the causes of human-induced modications.
Historical analysis is helpful in understanding
forest cover evolution over the last century.
Land-survey maps and aerial photos are useful
documents to establish the structural state of
alluvial forests over the past 50 to 100 years.
Written forestry reports can be used for some
large alluvial forest corridors, such as the Rhine
or the Mississippi river that have both been
managed for a few centuries.
Prior to acting at a local scale, it can be
helpful to approach the problem at a larger
regional scale to tailor actions to the right scale.
An inventory at the national scale can be used
as a preliminary step to identify possible
project sites. Such inventories can be exhaustive for small areas, like in Switzerland or in
Belgium, or more cursory for larger regions (for
example, by satellite imagery). With either
method, the inventory must include a database
that contains some information on each site
(percent of surface forested, stand structure,
regrowth, plant diversity, river form, etc.).
3.2. Monitoring
Monitoring is important, as with all restoration
programmes and should include both ecological and socioeconomic factors. Some socioeconomic factors that need to be taken into
account for oodplain forests, but also for other
large-scale restoration efforts, include ensuring
legal protection status and property rights, and
understanding and mitigating the impact on
local stakeholders. Specically, for oodplain
forests, variables that need to be measured
include hydrological, geomorphic, and biological characteristics (pre- and postrestoration
survey).
3.3. Integrated River Basin

Management
Integrated river basin management is one of
the tools that can be used to attain objectives
of water quality improvement, local development, ooding management, etc., and allow
stakeholders to consider their options in
311
Figure 44.1. A reconnected channel

in the Erstein natural reserve
Rhine river. (Photo Simon Dufour.)
managing and implementing oodplain forest

restoration. It involves looking at the entire
basin when determining interventions (Fig.
44.1).
4. Future Needs
4.1. Improve Knowledge
During the last few decades, ecologists and geomorphologists have made important progress
in understanding stream corridor response to
river system evolution. A better quantication
is now needed of the inuence of site conditions
on species development and growth and on
communities composition, and diversity as
well as better comprehension of the potential
trajectories of the communities (i.e., rupture
thresholds, lag of time response). To assess the
value of oodplain forests, eld-based studies
are necessary to quantify realistically the inuence of these forests on system uxes (water
and nutrient consumption, organic matter production) in a broad range of hydrogeomorphic
conditions, for example, highly dynamic systems, incised or aggraded rivers, downstream
dams, in cultural landscapes, etc. Physical and
biological coupling models must be developed
to evaluate better the efciency of proposed
management and restoration.
4.2. Apply the Idea of Acting

Locally, but Thinking Globally
Most of the time, the restoration plan is developed at a local scale rather than at a larger
scale. Managers should develop macromanagement strategies in order to make current environmental policies sharper. In Europe, the
Water Framework Directive is a chance to
promote such a large-scale approach. It is, for
example, well known that the de-nitrication
capacity of riparian units depends on connectivity conditions between the soil, root systems,
and groundwater. However, these conditions
do not exist all along the hydrographic network
because of various channel geometry conditions. Before replanting forest along rivers to
improve water quality, one must identify target
reaches. It is possible to use Geographical
Information System (GIS) analysis to identify
sources of pollution and potential natural barriers to restoration.
4.3. Cost-Benet Analysis

One of the most important issues is the assessment of the benet provided by the alluvial
forests, and also by the restoration measures in
terms of resources, ood protection, water
quality improvement, and heritage. For this
312
purpose, there is a need to identify and to

develop technical and methodological tools to
quantify these benets (the costs are easier
to estimate). Economic studies should be conducted in different local demonstration programmes in order to validate the benet of the
measures for stakeholders.
References
FISRWG. 1998. Stream corridor restoration: principles, processes and practices. The Federal Interagency Stream Restoration Working Group, GPO
item n 0120-A.
Hughes, H.G. ed. 2003. The ooded forest: guidance
for policy makers and river managers in Europe
on the restoration of oodplain forests.
FLOBAR2, Department of Geography, University
of Cambridge, UK.
Naiman, R.J., and Dcamps, H. eds. 1990. The
Ecology and Management of Aquatic-Terrestrial
Ecotones. MAB 4, UNESCO.
Teoh, C.H., Ng, A., Prudente, C., Pang, C., and Tek
Choon Yee, J. 2001. Balancing the need for sustainable oil palm development and conservation:
the lower Kinabatangan oodplains experience.
Proceeding in ISP National Seminar, Strategic
Directions for the Sustainablility of the Oil Palm
Industry, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia, 1112
June 2001.
Additional Reading
Alpert, P., Griggs, F.T., and Peterson, D.R. 1999.
Riparian forest restoration along large rivers:
initial results from the Sacramento river project.
Goodwin, C.N., Hawkins, C.P., and Kershner, J.L.
1997. Riparian restoration in the Western United
States: overview and perspective. Restoration

Ecology 5(4):414.
Griggs, F.T., and Golet, G.H. 2002. Riparian valley
oak (Quercus lobata) forest restoration on the
Middle Sacramento River, California. USDA
Forest Service; pp. 543550.
Harris, R., and Olson, C. 1997. Two-stage system for
prioritising riparian restoration at the stream
reach and community scales. Restoration Ecology
5(4):3442.
Hunter, J.C., Willett, K.B., McCoy, M.C., Quinn, J.F.,
and Keller, K.E. 1999. Prospects for preservation
and restoration of riparian forests in the Sacramento Valley, California, USA. Environmental
Management 24(1):6575.
Landers, D.H. 1997. Riparian restoration: current
status and the reach to the future. Restoration
Ecology 5(4):113121.
Moring, J.R., Garman, G.C., and Mullen, D.M. 1985.
The value of riparian zones for protecting aquatic
systems: general concerns and recent studies in
Maine. In: Johnson, R.R., Ziebell, C.D., Pattern,
D.R., Folliot, P.F., and Hamre, R.H., eds. Riparian
Ecosystems and their Management: Reconciling
Conicting Uses. USDA Forest Service.
National Research Council. 2002. Riparian Areas,
Functions and Strategies for Management.
National Academy Press, Washington DC.
Pigay, H., Pautou, G., and Rufnoni, C. 2003. Les
Forts Riveraines des Cours dEau: cologie,
Fonctions, Gestion. Institut pour le Dveloppement Forestier, Paris.
Schoenholtz, S.H., James, J.P., Kaminski, R.M.,
Leopold, B.D., and Ezell, A.W. 2001. Afforestation
of bottomland hardwoods in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley: status and trends. Wetlands
21(4):602613.
Tockner, K., and Schiemer, F. 1997. Ecological
aspects of the restoration strategy for riveroodplain system on the Danube River in
Austria. Global Ecology and Biogeography
Letters 6:321329.
45
Restoring Mediterranean Forests
Ramon Vallejo

The Mediterranean region has been heavily
modied by millennia of human intervention. This intervention has included different
tree planting phases, with varying results.
Land abandonment and forest res are
common problems in the north of the
Mediterranean, while demand for fuelwood
and fodder are a key issue in the south.
Because of centuries of landscape modication, there are fewer reference ecosystems to
guide restoration in the Mediterranean.
There are instead three types of landscapes: highly degraded, cultural, and seminatural landscapes. The second type is also being
modied under present land-use conditions.
The challenge lies in trying both to conserve
key cultural landscapes and to restore the
ecosystems that are the most degraded or
under pressure.
1. Background and
1.1. Forest Degradation in the
Mediterranean: An Old
Problem with a New Face
The Mediterranean basin has been enduring
heavy and extensive human use for millennia.
Throughout this long history, periods of

resource overexploitation have led to signicant forest loss and the reshaping of landscapes.
Already in the fourth century b.c., Plato warned
about both the degradation of Greek forests in
the uplands and soil loss: Hills that were once
covered by forests and produced abundant
pasture now produce only food for bees. In the
past, uctuations in human population were
accompanied by uctuations in land exploitation, with peaks of overgrazing, forest clearing
for agriculture, forest overexploitation for rewood, charcoal production, and logging, intermingled with periods of land abandonment.
Frequent wars often devastated the forests as
well. The forest was especially overused in crisis
situations. The consequent impact on forests
was the degradation of vegetation, the reduction of forest surface, the degradation of soil
quality, and the increase in soil erosion and
ooding. The images of Mediterranean forests
projected by enlightened travellers of the 17th
to 19th centuries and the direct images from the
early 20th century were discouraging. Most
mountain areas were depicted as spoilt and the
scarce preserved forests were hidden in remote,
inaccessible areas, or belonged to wealthy
families and/or the nobility, who used them
as private hunting parks.
Socioeconomic and political circumstances
drive land use and forest exploitation, and
this is particularly marked in a region with a
long history of human settlement such as the
Mediterranean basin. In Southern Europe,
economic development since the middle of the
20th century has resulted in a sharp change in
313
314
R. Vallejo
tendencies, moving from thousands of years of

steady degradation to a new phase of regeneration that is related to the loss of direct market
prot from forests and woodlands and rural
depopulation. Clearly, this general process has
local exceptions in the less economically developed regions of southern Europe.
Meanwhile, in southern and eastern
Mediterranean countries, resource exploitation
mostly follows the same historical trends in
relation to the increasing population growth
and direct dependence of rural populations on
natural resources. Poverty, now and in the past,
is one of the main drivers of forest degradation
forced by the primary need for food, fuelwood,
and bre.
Recent land use changes in southern Europe
are resulting in the abandonment of less
productive lands and substantial reductions in
grazing pressure and forest exploitation. These
changes are enabling spontaneous vegetation
to recover, increasing connectivity in wildland
areas and promoting fuel load accumulation
in forests and shrublands. In addition, large
afforestation programmes conducted during
the 20th century signicantly increased the
forest surface, mostly with pine species and, to
a minor extent, eucalyptus. A direct consequence of this dramatic modication in landscape structure and composition has been the
spread of large wildres in the Northern
Mediterranean countries since the last quarter
of the 20th century.386 Wildres have now
become the major forest management problem
in the region. We can expect the problem to
become more and more acute in southern
Mediterranean countries if the trend toward
rural abandonment continues in the future.
1.2. Structural Problems

Ancient societies adjusted their lives to
natures pace. Industrialisation has caused the
gap between both paces to increase dramatically. Present industrial and postindustrial societies change faster than forests. As a
consequence, forest policies that respond to
386
Pausas and Vallejo, 1999.
current demands from forests (or more generally from land-use interests) may become obsolete in only a few decades, leaving the next
generations with a problem that may be difcult to reverse or that may even be irreversible.
Examples of this time mismatch include (1) the
clear-cutting of cork oak woodlands conducted
in Portugal for wheat production during the
1930s, the later abandonment of many of these
elds because of poor soil productivity, and the
recent attempts to recover cork oak in these
now degraded soils; and (2) the eucalyptus
plantations established in dry areas of western
Spain in the 1960s, which are now abandoned
and no longer exploited, suffer wildres, and, in
some cases, are uprooted at a large economic
cost to restore native forest.
Forest management and restoration is constrained by land tenure and traditional uses and
rights, which are very diverse throughout the
Mediterranean countries. There are countries
where most of the forest land is private, such as
Portugal with around 90 percent, and countries
where practically all forest land is public, such
as Turkey, Greece, and the Maghreb countries
(fort domaniale).
1.3. Reforestation Activities

Recognition of the need to preserve and
enhance forests is very old. Already in 13thcentury Spain, King Alfonso X promoted regulations to preserve forests against res and
uncontrolled clearing. Some relevant and
documented pine afforestation dates back to
the early Middle Ages in Spain. Throughout the
Middle and Modern Ages, forests competed
with grazing and agriculture, with rural people
always trying to convert forests into pasture
and cropland. Traditionally, grazing was considered by foresters as the prime enemy of forest
conservation. The traditional pastured woodlands (dehesa, montado, pascolo arbolato) in
the western Mediterranean can be considered
multifunctional adaptations and compromise
land uses given to these forests to solve the
demands of rural population. Throughout the
18th and 19th centuries, there was an attempt
to preserve and promote forests. Efforts began
45. Restoring Mediterranean Forests
to crystallise in the afforestation of relevant

surfaces by the end of the 19th century and
became fully developed during the 20th
century. In southern Europe, most of these
afforestation efforts addressed watershed
protection and dune xation.
In relation to socioeconomic development
and the decreasing dependence of the population on forest resources, a new perception
of nature is growing in the European
Mediterranean countries. This is generating new
demands on the wildlands, more biased toward
recreation, ecological, cultural, and landscape
valuation. Of course, these new demands on
forests and other wildland uses require the
corresponding adaptation of forest restoration
techniques to meet these demands.387 With this
in mind, recent afforestation measures for
setting aside agricultural lands, promoted
under the Common Agricultural Policy of the
European Union, were conceived with the aim
to recover native forest ecosystems.
2. Examples
The old reforestation projects conducted in the
Mediterranean countries were not, strictly
speaking, restoration projects as we understand
this term nowadays. However, they share the
main global aims of restoration, such as reducing soil erosion and runoff, or recovering
natural forests, though sometimes exotic
species were used as intermediate stages in the
rehabilitation process.
2.1. Old vs. New Approaches388

2.1.1. Sierra Espua (Murcia, Southeast
Spain) in the Late 19th and early
20th Centuries
Frequent severe oods were chronically
causing heavy casualties and large economic
losses on the coastal oodplains in Eastern
387
Cortina and Vallejo, 1999.

These projects are collected in the REACTION database: www.ceam.es/reaction.
388
315
Spain. These were caused by torrential streams

draining from the nearby mountain ranges.
Most of these ranges were denuded of trees as
a result of long-term overexploitation and the
large logging activities pursued by the Navy for
ship construction, especially during the 18th
century. In the Segura basin (Murcia), after the
devastating oods of October 1879 (761 casualties), the forest administration launched a
reforestation project in 1886 called Defence
Works Against the Floods in the Segura basin.
The forest engineer R. Codorniu, one of the
directors of this restoration project, wrote that
in 1889 he did not see a single tree when crossing the hill slopes of the basin. This project
started in 1892 and included the reforestation
of almost 5000 hectares, accompanied by check
dams, rebreaks, and temporary on-site forest
nurseries. The climate of the site is dry to subhumid. After studying the ecological conditions
of the site, the species planted were mostly the
native conifers Pinus halepensis, P. nigra, P.
pinaster, and P. pinea, but with minor proportions of hardwoods (Quercus faginea, Ulmus
minor) and other allochthonous or nonnative
species in the site such as P. canariensis, Acacia
sp., and Abies pinsapo. In 1902 some two
million seedlings were produced for the project.
In those times, most of the plantation work was
manual and it took almost 30 years! (This
would be difcult to repeat today.) Every year
gaps were lled in order to achieve full survival
of the stands. Nowadays, the site is covered with
beautiful pine forests that have reached the
second generation (Figs. 45.1 and 45.2), with a
rich understorey and some scattered patches
and individuals of hardwoods, mostly holm oak
(Quercus ilex). Flood incidence in the basin has
signicantly decreased since the establishment
of the forest. After several protection regulations, the site was declared a natural park in
1978 and a regional park in 1992. The site constitutes an island of green surrounded by agricultural lands, and desertied, hilly landscapes
with a semiarid climate, and it is the main green
recreational attraction in the whole region. The
site has thus generated economic activities
mostly related to ecotourism for the entire local
population.
316
R. Vallejo
Figure 45.1. Sierra Espua example.
Plantation works and general look
of the site in 1895. (Photo The
Regional Ministry of Agriculture,
Water and Environment, Murcia
Region.)
Figure 45.2. Sierra Espua example,

present situation (2004). (Photo
Ramon Vallejo.)
2.1.2. Running a Pilot Project

in Albatera (Alicante,
Eastern Spain)
Some 50 km Northeast from the Espua site,
but at lower elevations and restricted to semiarid climate (300350 mm of precipitation per
year), the Albatera site in the Crevillete Ranges

consists of a pilot project of approximately
25 hectares to combat desertication under
the initiative of the Spanish Ministry of
Environment, and in the framework of the
United Nations Convention to Combat
Desertication (UNCCD) for the Northern
Mediterranean countries. The area is covered
with sparse vegetation and shows evidence of

soil compaction and water erosion in the form
of rills and gullies. Attempts to reforest the area
with Aleppo pine were conducted through
plantations in terraces in the 1970s and again in
the 1990s, both times without success. Terraces
show signs of advanced degradation. Under
the initiative of the Spanish Ministry of
Environment, the Regional Forest Administration of the Valencia Region conducted a pilot
restoration project, with the aim of putting in
practice the latest scientic and technical innovations developed through several research and
development projects funded by the regional,
national, and European Commission programmes. The project was carried out with scientic assessment from CEAM Foundation
(Mediterranean Centre for Environmental
Studies). The challenge for plantations in these
degraded semiarid lands lies in improving plant
survival rates (which are often lower than 50
percent) and growth. Irrigation is not applied in
regular reforestation/afforestation projects in
Spain. The main objective of the project was to
enhance the recovery of woody vegetation and
its diversity, and to stop land degradation, especially soil erosion. The project was based on
previous eld research in the same region and
on a specic study on the physical and ecological characteristics, and degradation process
occurring in the site. Restoration work was executed during the period 20022004. A relatively
large number of native shrubs and trees were
planted in the various habitats identied in the
site: wild olives (Olea europaea var. sylvestris),
mastic tree (Pistacia lentiscus), kermes oak
(Quercus coccifera), juniper (Juniperus oxycedrus), oleander (Nerium oleander),Aleppo pine
(Pinus halepensis), carob tree (Ceratonia
siliqua), Rhamnus lycioides, Tetraclinis articulata, Retama sphaerocarpa, Ephedra fragilis,
European palm (Chamaerops humilis), Tamarix
africana, Salsola genistoides, and the alpha grass
(Stipa tenacissima) for the most degraded soils.
Seedlings were produced in the nursery using
the latest criteria for quality control, promoting
root development and good physiological performance. Soil preparation was designed to
optimise water collection under the extremely
dry conditions of the site. Therefore, micro-
317
catchments for runoff collection were created,

and complemented with mulching using forest
debris. The soil was amended with good-quality
compost from urban bio-solids, and the seedlings protected using tree shelters. Soil preparation techniques were efcient in collecting
runoff, thereby signicantly increasing water
availability for the planted seedlings. As a consequence, seedling survival and growth was
much higher than usual in these harsh, semiarid
degraded lands. Two years after planting, some
seedlings reached 70 cm in height. Although the
project is in its very early stages of development, good seedling establishment in the critical transplanting shock provides promising
perspectives for the recovery of mature and
diverse native macchia in the medium-term.
This recovery would entail more diverse
ecosystems and improved protection against
soil erosion and ooding risks.
2.2. National Mobilisation Project

In the 1970s, the Algerian government
launched an ambitious reforestation programme to stop the desert, called the Green
Belt. The target area was a strip (1500 km, or
around 3 million hectares) of steppes receiving
between 200 and 300 mm of precipitation per
year, and crossing the whole country from west
to east parallel to the Sahara desert. These
steppes were degraded because of overgrazing
and inappropriate cropping promoting wind
erosion and exacerbating the natural drought
of the region. In its initial phase, the project was
implemented by the Army using nearly exclusively Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis). The
local population, especially shepherds, reacted
strongly against the plantations that obstructed
their pastoral activities and in some cases
destroyed natural pastures of alpha grass (Stipa
tenacissima). Later on (from 1986 onward), and
under the direction of the National Institute of
Forest Research, the whole programme was
revised and reshaped. The local population was
involved in the afforestation work and rural
development criteria were introduced, integrating afforestation with other activities. As a
consequence, the species used were diversied,
318
R. Vallejo
including both native and alien species: Cupressus sempervirens, C. arizonica, Gleditsia triacanthos, Casuarina sp., Acacia sp., Pistacia atlantica,
Eleagnus angustifolia, and Simmondsia chinensis. In addition, seeding with herbs was conducted for dune xation, and fodder shrubs
(Atriplex, Opuntia, Acacia, Prosopis) and trees
(Tamarix gallica, Retama sp., Eleagnus angustifolia) were planted for small family holdings.
The initially ambitious target of 3 million
hectares was revised down to around 300,000
hectares. The estimated survival rate for plantations was around 70 percent in the long
term.389 The programme received both positive
and negative coverage. On the negative side,
the initial lack of agreement with local populations, the extensive use of monospecic plantations of Aleppo pine, facilitating the expansion
of pests (mostly pine processionary moth), and
the little attention paid to biodiversity were
cited. The positive aspects included the establishment of native Aleppo pine forests in the
best sites and the national and international
impact of the initiative.
2.3. The Pilot Experiences in Sidi

Jaber: Approaching the Limits
for Restoration
Sidi Jaber is located in southeast Morocco, with
a precipitation between 200 and 300 mm per
year, with large interannual variability. The
region is considered to be at the threshold
limit of having any productivity. As in the previous example, overgrazing and overcropping
resulted in severe wind and water soil erosion.
In the area there was competition between
cereal cropping and the production of rewood
and fodder. A project funded by the World
Bank was set up with the objective to establish
tree cover to produce re wood, fodder, and
shelter, and to reduce the drought effects on
agricultural lands and pastures. For that
purpose, adapted trees and fodder shrubs were
selected, including both native and alien
species. Seedlings were produced in local nurseries using on-site materials and applying
reduced irrigation to pre-adapt the seedlings to
water stress. Planting was carried out in winter,

from November to February when the accumulated precipitation reached 50 mm. The
surface of the project site was 22 hectares, and
the project implementation was carried out
during the period 19911993. Out of the 18
species tested, the best growth results were
obtained with some exotics, especially Acacia
cyanophylla (rewood species) that reached
21/2 m in height in 2 years in the eld, and some
eucalyptus. Retama monosperma, bridal veil
broom, which is native in the region had a 100
percent survival rate after the rst postplantation year. It is used for rewood in the region
and cultivated as an ornamental plant in many
warm areas of the world; Atriplex nummularia
also yielded good survival and growth rates.
This species accumulates salt from the soil and
is used for fodder, although sheep and goats
only consume it when no better palatable
species are available. Therefore, its extensive
use in Northern Africa has been questioned.
Native species such as Argania spinosa (a
species that is good for fodder), Pistacia
atlantica, and Acacia gummifera (a North
African endemic) also gave acceptable results.
This pilot project proved that using appropriate
species and plantation techniques may both
promote ecosystem recovery and supply valuable resources for local people.
3. Outline of Tools
Hydrology and forest restoration projects have
a long tradition in southern Europe.390 Combining short-term stream correction engineering with reforestation for long-term watershed
protection has resulted in the global improvement of degraded ecosystems and landscapes,
and reduced oods and soil erosion. Nowadays,
these projects have to be compatible with
the social demands for biodiversity and landscape services. Recent research and development advances enable using a larger variety of
native woody species for forest restoration.391
One specic difculty in the Mediterranean
is the lack of original reference ecosystems
390
389
Lahouati, personal communication.
391
See, for example, Molina et al, 1989.

Pausas et al, 2004.
to guide restoration. Instead, cultural landscapes that were created and were functional
under past land-use systems are widespread
but are being degraded under present land-use
conditions. The challenge is trying to make
the conservation of these cultural landscapes,
and their diversity, compatible with stopping
degradation.
New forest restoration techniques have been
recently developed from several European
Commission (EC) research projects. These
include the procedures for cultivation of goodquality seedling, soil preparation techniques,
including water harvesting with microcatchments, mulching and organic amendments, and the use of tree shelters to improve
seedling survival and growth under harsh soil
and climate conditions.392 These techniques
allow the use of local seeds and alternative
materials, so they tend to be cheap and of widespread application.
Reforestation projects are traditionally weak
in monitoring and evaluation. This deciency
limits the opportunities to learn from past
successes and failures, and especially to take
advantage of the unique source of information
provided by old afforestation and reforestation
programmes. For that purpose, evaluation tools
and the inventory of old paradigmatic forest
restoration projects in southern Europe
are being undertaken within the European
Commissions Research and Development
Programme
(see
REACTION
project:
www.ceam.es/reaction).
4. Future Needs
Who pays the bill? Forest restoration is a very
expensive activity. In the Mediterranean coun392
Vallejo et al, 1999.
319
tries, it is usually carried out using public funds.

The generalised decrease of direct prot from
forest exploitation under semiarid and dry climates results in a negative cost-benet balance
in market terms. Therefore, the most relevant
benets from forest restoration derive from
nonmarket goods and services provided by
restored forest and shrublands, such as limiting
soil erosion and oods, carbon sequestration,
increase of diversity, aesthetic landscape values,
and recreation. Public investments in forest
restoration rely too much on political uctuations, all the more so in developing countries.
Economic internalisation of the goods and
services provided by forests is clearly needed
to progress in sustaining forest restoration
activities.
References
Cortina, J., and Vallejo, V.R. 1999. Restoration of
Mediterranean ecosystems. In: Farina, A. ed.
Perspectives in Ecology. Backhuys, Leiden, pp.
479490.
Molina, J.L., Navarro, M., Montero de Burgos, J.L.,
and Herranz, J.L. 1989. Afforestation Techniques
in Mediterranean Countries (multilingual publication: Spanish. English and French). ICONA,
Madrid.
Pausas, J.G., Blad, C., Valdecantos, A., et al.
2004. Pines and oaks in the restoration of
Mediterranean landscapes of Spain: new perspectives for an old practicea review. Plant Ecology
171:209220.
Pausas, J.G., and Vallejo, V.R. 1999. The role of re
in European Mediterranean ecosystems. In:
Chuvieco, E. ed. Remote Sensing of Large Wildres. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, pp. 316.
Vallejo, V.R., Bautista, S., and Cortina, J. 1999.
Restoration for soil protection after disturbances.
In: Trabaud, L. ed. Life and Environment in the
Mediterranean. WIT Press, Southampton, pp.
301343.
46
Restoring Temperate Forests
Adrian Newton and Alan Watson Featherstone

While temperate forests tend to be lower
in diversity of plant or animal species
than tropical forests, the diversity of fungi,
mosses, and lichens may often be very high,
particularly in areas of high humidity.
Many temperate forests have been substantially modied by human activity, over
periods of hundreds or even thousands of
years, limiting our understanding of the original ecosystem and hindering the development of goals for restoration.
In many places where temperate forests are
found, the value of the land is high, which
limits opportunities for restoration.
The rate of recovery of temperate forests
from anthropogenic disturbance tends to be
very low.
Very little is known regarding the functioning of the soil fauna and microbial communities, which are likely to be of critical
importance to ecosystem function and
should be considered during development of
restoration plans.
1. Background and
1.1. Description of Temperate
Forests
Temperate forests cover more than 20 million
km2 of the Earths surface, including forest
types such as boreal conifer forests, the mixed
deciduous forests of the United States, Europe,
western Asia, China and Japan, and the evergreen rain forests of Chile, New Zealand, and
Tasmania.393 In the Northern Hemisphere,
dominant tree genera are typically members of
the oak family (Fagaceae) or conifers such as
pines (Pinus) and spruces (Picea). Southern
Hemisphere forests are often dominated
by southern beeches (Nothofagus spp.),
mixed with conifers such as members of the
Araucariaceae and Podocarpaceae. While temperate forests tend to be lower in diversity of
plant or animal species than tropical forests, the
diversity of fungi, mosses, and lichens may often
be very high, particularly in areas of high
humidity. Those of the Southern Hemisphere
are characterised by many species that have
restricted distribution. Temperate forests can
be structurally complex, with up to seven distinct canopy layers. The largest trees can reach
over 50 m in height with girths of 2 m or more.
Spatial variation in forest structure and composition is inuenced by the pattern of natural
and anthropogenic disturbance, such as wind or
393
320
Groombridge and Jenkins, 2002.
46. Restoring Temperate Forests
re. When canopy trees die, the resulting gaps

in the canopy are colonised by different elements of the forest ora. This process of gap
dynamics is important in maintaining stand
structure and diversity.
Temperate forests provide many services to
people, including watershed protection and soil
stabilisation, and also account for more than
half of the carbon stored in forest ecosystems.
In many areas they provide signicant recreational use. Natural temperate forests are
important reservoirs of genetic material of
timber trees of economic importance, such as
oaks, beeches, pines, and eucalypts. However,
more than 500 temperate tree species are now
threatened with extinction, often as a result of
overexploitation.394 Large areas of temperate
forest have been cleared for agriculture. In
Europe and parts of Asia, this process of deforestation has taken place over thousands of
years, but continues to be a principal threat in
many areas. Timber harvesting is also widespread. As a result many temperate forests are
highly fragmented and old growth forests are
now very restricted in extent. Other main
threats to temperate forests include invasive
species, urban development, browsing by vertebrates, mining, acid rain, and air pollution.
1.2. Restoration Issues

Forest landscape restoration depends on preventing forest loss and degradation caused by
the above-mentioned threats, and enabling
forest ecosystems to recover their functionality.
Many of the issues relating to restoration of
temperate forests are the same as those for
other forest types. As elsewhere, the main focus
of restoration will be to identify the main
causes of forest loss and degradation, and to
develop management responses to address
them. Issues that are particular to temperate
forests include:
Attributes of temperate forests: Keddy and
Drummond395 provided a detailed analysis of
the properties or attributes of temperate
394
395
Oldeld et al, 1998.

Keddy and Drummond, 1996.
321
deciduous forest ecosystems that could be

used to dene restoration objectives, or as
the basis for monitoring restoration progress
(Table 46.1). While providing a valuable rst
step, this analysis placed relatively little
emphasis on landscape-scale attributes, and
was restricted to temperate deciduous forest
ecosystems in the eastern United States.
The approach, therefore, could be usefully
extended to other temperate forest types,
such as conifer forests and Southern
Hemisphere forests, and to the landscape scale.
Denition of restoration objectives: In some
areas, such as central Europe and eastern
Asia, deforestation has occurred over time
scales of thousands of years. In such situations, the characteristics of pristine forest
can be difcult or even impossible to dene
with precision, greatly complicating the
development of appropriate restoration
objectives.
Rate of forest recovery: Temperate trees, particularly those growing on infertile or marginal
sites, display relatively low growth rates compared to tropical forests. Rates of forest
recovery following the alleviation of disturbance generally tend to be low; it could take
many centuries to fully restore the characteristics of old-growth forest ecosystems.
Many conifers are particularly slow growing.
Restoration of key ecological processes: Ecological processes and natural disturbance
regimes (e.g., occasional large-scale wildres,
wind throw, insect infestations, etc.) are
important characteristics of temperate forests, particularly at a landscape level. The
absence of such processes is a key difference
between old-growth forests and the ecologically simplied plantations that have often
replaced them. Restoration of these ecological processes presents challenges in many
situations today, yet this may be critical to
the recovery of fully functioning forest
ecosystems.
Restoration potential of secondary forests: In
some temperate areas where forests were
previously cleared (e.g., the northeast United
States and parts of Scandinavia), secondgrowth forests have become established naturally, and relatively minimal management is
322
A. Newton and A.W. Featherstone
Table 46.1. Ecological attributes for the evaluation, management, and restoration of temperate deciduous forest ecosystems.
Property
Potential values
Tree size
Old growth forests tend to be characterised by relatively high numbers of large trees.
A mean basal area of 29 + 4 m2 per hectare was recorded on 10 pristine sites.
Mature forests tend to be dominated by only a few relatively shade-tolerant species.
Successional forests tend to incorporate a larger number of tree species, including
shade-intolerant species.
Includes fallen logs, snags, and large branches. An important habitat component for
many organisms including birds, mammals, invertebrates, and fungi. Highest volumes
tend to be recorded in old growth stands (a mean of 27 mg per hectare recorded on 10
pristine sites).
Many temperate deciduous forests are characterised by a diverse herbaceous ora,
which may be sensitive to logging and especially grazing.
Diverse communities of cryptogams (mosses, and lichens) may typically be present on
the trunks and branches of trees, particularly in undisturbed forests unaffected by
aerial pollution, in humid environments.
Many birds, mammals, and invertebrates require trees with particular characteristics for
habitat (e.g., as sites for nesting, perching, roosting, or foraging). Large-diameter
snags (standing dead trees) and cavity trees (live trees with central decay) are of
particular importance. Old growth forests tend to be characterised by 4 wildlife trees
per 10 hectares.
Temperate forests are often characterised by diverse communities of larger fungi,
which play a critical role in decomposition and nutrient cycling. Many temperate
trees form associations with ectomycorrhizal fungi, which assist in nutrient uptake
and form an important food resource for many other organisms. The composition of
fungal communities remains poorly documented, but diversity in old growth forests
may exceed 100 species per hectare.
The composition of bird communities appears to be particularly sensitive to the area of
forest patches, some species being dependent on large areas of intact forest.
As large carnivores tend to be at the top of food chains, their presence indicates an
intact food web. They may play an important role in keeping herbivore numbers in
check, preventing overgrazing and browsing. Large carnivores have explicitly been
exterminated in many temperate forests and therefore may need to be considered as
an explicit objective of restoration action.
In many areas, once-continuous tracts of forest have been highly fragmented as a
result of human activity. Fragmentation reduces species diversity and changes species
composition in remaining forests. Many mammals and birds are most affected because
of their large territorial requirements. For a forest to contain the full complement of
species, it must be large enough to accommodate, those species with largest area
requirements (i.e. >100,000 hectares).
Canopy composition
Coarse woody debris
Herbaceous layer
Epiphytic bryophytes
and lichens
Wildlife trees
Fungi
Birds
Large carnivores
Forest area
Adapted from Keddy and Drummond, 1996.
required to facilitate the further restoration

of such sites toward an old-growth condition.
Socioeconomic context: Extensive temperate
forest areas are situated within countries
with a high level of economic development.
While this can be of value in obtaining the
necessary nancial support for restoration
action, it also creates difculties. Land prices
are often high, particularly in areas where the
land has some agricultural value. Coupled
with the high costs of human labour, this can
make the cost of forest restoration prohibitive. Many areas are subject to intensive
patterns of land use, which may themselves
have long cultural traditions, such as in much
of Europe. This greatly reduces the scope
for large-scale forest restoration, which often
can be achieved only through the development of partnerships with relevant landowners. In such circumstances economic
incentives for forest restoration may be of
critical importance.
Ecological complexity: Given that the ecological functioning of temperate forests is relatively well understood, and that temperate
forests are relatively simple in terms of structure and composition, it could be argued that
the restoration of temperate ecosystems
should be technically simpler than in tropical
regions. However, very little is known regarding the functioning of the soil fauna and
microbial communities, which are likely to be
of critical importance to ecosystem function.
Restoration methods: Forest restoration should
ideally focus on encouraging natural regeneration and ecological recovery. However,
many temperate forest areas are so degraded
that articial establishment of trees may be
required to facilitate restoration efforts. Such
planting has to be done with great care, and
should seek to mimic natural regeneration
as much as possible, if restoration objectives are to be achieved. Tree establishment
approaches typically employed in commercial afforestation initiatives are generally
inappropriate for use in forest restoration.
2. Examples
2.1. Caledonian Pine Forest, Glen
Affric, Scotland
The native pinewoods of the Caledonian
Forest in Scotland, characterised by Scots pine
(Pinus sylvestris), comprise the westernmost
Figure 46.1. Athnamulloch. Planting Scots pine seedlings in a deforested part of Glen Affric in the
Highlands of Scotland in 1991, as
part of the restoration of the
Caledonian Forest there. (Photo
Alan Watson Featherstone/Forest
Light.)
323
extent of boreal forest in Europe, and originally

covered 1.5 million hectares. By the late
20th century, their area had been reduced
to 17,000 hectares, in isolated remnants consisting mostly of old trees, and there was a real
danger of the forest disappearing completely.
Situated west of Inverness in the northern
Highlands, Glen Affric contains the third
largest remnant of the native pinewoods, and
this is also the largest extent of least-disturbed
forest in Scotland. Most of the pinewood area
there is owned by the U.K. government, and
restoration work began in the early 1960s, when
800 hectares of forest were fenced off to
exclude deer and sheep. This enabled a new
generation of young trees to regenerate
the rst to do so in 150 years (Figs. 46.1 and
46.2). Restoration work increased substantially
from 1990 onward, and the main management
techniques initially utilised included the
following:
Facilitating natural regeneration of the surviving native forest, through the exclusion of
deer by fencing
Extending the forest in areas where it had
already disappeared by planting native trees,
grown from seed of local provenance, in patterns that sought to replicate those of natural
regeneration
Felling of substantial areas of commercial
plantations of exotic tree species, which were
inhibiting the regeneration of the native
forest
324
forest have proved popular with a wide range

of people keen to participate in practical forest
restoration activities.
2.2. Temperate Rain Forests,

Valdivian Ecoregion, Chile
Figure 46.2. Athnamulloch. By 2002, the planted

pines were growing healthily and had been joined by
naturally regenerating rowans. In the absence of
overgrazing by deer, heather and blueberries have
also ourished, covering up much of the exposed
pine stump. (Photo Alan Watson Featherstone/
Forest Light.)
In recent years, the restoration work has

entered a new phase, with greater emphasis on
correcting imbalances in the diversity of tree
species (due to the effects of past selective
overgrazing and browsing by herbivores),
linking up forest fragments throughout the
watershed to provide an enhanced sense of a
forested landscape, and paying greater attention to the restoration of other components of
the ecosystem, such as scarce tree species,
woodland insects such as wood ants, forest oor
owering plants, etc. A key factor for achieving
further restoration of the forest community is
reduction of the deer population, so that
ongoing regeneration of trees and herbaceous
plants becomes possible without the need for
fences. Other signicant work that will take
place in the years ahead includes the conversion, or naturalisation, of the remaining plantations (many of which are of Pinus sylvestris) to
a more natural forest structure. In recognition
of Glen Affrics ecological importance and the
progress made with restoration work, almost
15,000 hectares of land was declared a National
Nature Reserve in 2002the most stringent
category of protected area in the U.K. A key
feature of this restoration initiative has been
the use of volunteer labour: work weeks in the
The temperate forests of southern Chile

account for more than half of the total area of
temperate forests in the Southern Hemisphere,
extending to a total of 13.4 million hectares.The
forests are home to over 900 plant species, over
90 percent of which are endemic.396 Clearance
for agriculture, human-set res, browsing, and
logging have reduced the original forest cover
of Chile by more than 50 percent. The temperate rain forests of the Valdivian ecoregion have
been identied as a priority for conservation
action by WWF. Although there is growing
recognition of the importance of native forests
within Chile, attempts at native forest restoration have only recently been initiated, primarily
by collaborative partnerships between academic researchers and nongovernmental conservation organisations. A rst attempt has
been made to restore populations of alerce
(Fitzroya cupressoides), a threatened conifer
that produces a highly valued timber. This was
achieved by rst carrying out an intensive eld
exploration, which identied a number of
remnant populations in an area where the
species was thought to have become extinct.
These provided a source of seed and cuttings
that have been raised in local nurseries. Young
plants have now been established on a number
of sites near to remnant populations, primarily
on agricultural land. As the species is very slow
growing, and can live for thousands of years, it
is clear that very long time scales are needed
for restoration of alerce forest. However, the
real value of this initiative may lie in the impact
that it has had as a demonstration of how
restoration can be achieved in practice, and in
raising awareness about the potential for native
forest restoration in the region. The participation of local private landowners in the initiative
has been of particular importance in this
context.
396
Armesto et al, 1995.
Further restoration initiatives have been

developed in Senda Darwin, a eld station on
the island of Chile, by the Fundacin Senda
Darwin. This area is typical of much of southern Chile, having suffered the combined effects
of forest re, logging, and browsing by livestock. Restoration is being achieved by removing livestock from remnant forest areas, and
protecting them by fencing. Although recovery
of the forest is slow, a noticeable increase in
tree cover has been observed within the rst 10
years of the initiative. Evidence suggests that
loss of soil organic matter as a result of forest
burning has resulted in soils becoming waterlogged, which has limited tree seedling establishment. Research has indicated that on such
sites the presence of decaying logs or tree
stumps is of particular importance in providing
sites for seedling establishment. Recent activities have focussed on developing a nursery facility to raise native tree seedlings for articial
establishment, to assist the restoration process.
Seedlings are being planted as linear corridors
connecting forest fragments, to assist in the
movement of plant and animal species between
fragments. In this way, and by developing collaborative links with neighbouring landowners,
the project is moving toward a landscape
approach to forest restoration.
3. Outline of Tools
Restoration of temperate forests is greatly
assisted by the extensive information resources
that exist, based on many years of research and
forest management, regarding the ecological
requirements of different species and the
processes of forest dynamics.
3.1. Geographical Information

Systems
Geographical information systems (GISs) have
proved to be of great value as a tool for planning and managing forest restoration projects.
Their databases incorporating environmental
information, such as soil, hydrology, and current
land use, combined with maps of forest cover
325
and associated biodiversity, can be used to

prioritise areas for forest restoration and to
develop restoration plans at the landscape
scale.397
3.2. Spatial Modelling

Spatial modelling of forest dynamics is increasingly being used to explore management
options and possible restoration pathways.
Spatial modelling approaches coupled with GIS
are also being used to analyse the habitat
requirements and distribution of particular
species.398
4. Future Needs
There is a general need for a shift from sitebased restoration action to landscape-scale
restoration. The development of forest habitat
networks, linking forest fragments, is a useful
concept in this context.
There is a need for increased research on the
effectiveness of different restoration options in
temperate forests, e.g., expansion of core area
of forest fragments versus increasing connectivity between fragments. Research is also
needed on identifying appropriate methods
for monitoring progress toward restoration
objectives.
A critical need is to identify how the restoration of forest landscapes can be achieved in
areas of intensive, competing land uses, for
example, through the development of partnerships of many stakeholders, supported by development of appropriate policy and funding
mechanisms.
Increased emphasis is needed on restoring
ecological processes in degraded temperate
forests; many restoration initiatives currently
focus solely on reestablishing tree cover, rather
than on entire communities of plants and
animals. In particular, practical methods are
required for the reestablishment of microbial
communities on degraded soils, as these may
often be of critical importance for ecosystem
function.
397
398
Humphrey et al, 2003.

Humphrey et al, 2003.
326
References
Armesto, J.J., Villagrn, C., and Arroyo M.K., eds.
1995. Ecologa de los Bosques Nativos de
Chile. Editorial Universitaria, Santiago de Chile,
Chile.
Groombridge, B., and Jenkins, M.D. 2002. World
Atlas of Biodiversity. California University Press,
Berkeley, CA.
Humphrey, J., Newton, A., Latham, J., et al., eds. 2003.
The Restoration of Wooded Landscapes. Forestry
Commission, Edinburgh, UK.
Keddy, P.A., and Drummond, C.G. 1996. Ecological
properties for the evaluation, management, and
restoration of temperate deciduous forest ecosystems. Ecological Applications 6(3):748762.
Oldeld, S., Lusty, C., and MacKinven, A., eds. 1998.

The World List of Threatened Trees. World
Conservation Press, WCMC, Cambridge, UK.
Additional Reading
Buckley, P., Ito, S., and McLachlan, S.M. 2003. Temperate woodlands. In: Handbook of Restoration
Ecology, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge,
UK.
Hunter, M.I. 1999. Maintaining Biodiversity in
Forest Ecosystems. Cambridge University Press,
Cambridge, UK.
Peterken, G.F. 1996. Natural Woodland. Ecology and
Conservation in Northern Temperate Regions.
Case Study: The Ecological

Restoration of Boreal Forests
in Finland
Jussi Pivinen and Marja Hokkanen
Around two thirds of Finlands land area is

covered by forest. For hundreds of years,
slash-and-burn agriculture and tar burning
have inuenced the structure of forests. Also,
the intensive forestry practised after the
Second World War has caused signicant
changes in forest habitats. Few natural forests
remain, and they are fragmented and now
found mainly in protected areas.
In natural boreal forests, decaying wood of
varying size and in various stages of decay is
formed all the time. The decaying wood originates from various tree species, and is far
more abundant than in commercial forests. As
trees fall, they create small openings where
new saplings grow. Deciduous trees, which
demand more light, grow in the slightly larger
openings, whereas spruces grow in the more
shaded ones. Due to the constant changes, a
natural forest is like a mosaic. Trees of differing size and species grow in random order;
occasional small openings are found, as well
as thickets.
As a result of effective re prevention,
extensive forest res hardly occur anymore in
Finland. In the past, there were frequent
forest res that left behind dead or dying
charred wood. If a forest re is limited to
ground level, the entire tree stand may
survive. If the re reaches the tree tops, at
least some of the trees die, and sometimes all
of them. Forest res usually increase the
mosaic nature of forests. After the re, dead
and decaying wood is found unevenly distributed in the forest. Saplings grow in the openings formed, and the variation in the age and
species distribution of the trees, as well as the

spatial variation of the forest, is often
increased.
Forests are the primary habitat for 564 (38
percent) of Finlands threatened species.
Furthermore, some 60 (33 percent) forestdwelling species have already gone extinct in
Finland. Many more species have gone extinct
from parts of the country, especially from the
southern part, which has been most inuenced, and for the longest period of time, by
humans. Particularly invertebrates, especially
beetles, as well as fungi have become extinct.
Only a small fraction of the forests in protected areas are being restored. It has been
estimated that the forest area on mineral soil
that needs to be restored is approximately
29,000 hectares in protected areas in Finland.
In addition, many extensions that are to be
joined to existing nature protected areas are
in need of ecological restoration. During the
years 2003 to 2012, 16,500 hectares of forest
are to be restored in protected areas in southern and western Finland. The need for ecological restoration of forests will diminish in
the future, because natural processes that
create habitats for endangered species begin
to take place.
Increasing the Amount of Dead

and Decaying Wood
The amount of dead and decaying wood is
increased primarily in areas where the natural
327
328
J. Pivinen and M. Hokkanen
continuum of decaying wood is in danger

of being broken, and in areas lacking decaying wood but with valuable species in the
vicinity.
Dead and decaying wood can be produced
by stripping the bark off trees while they are
standing, or by cutting them down. Both stripping and felling are mainly done by chainsaw.
Stripping irons or marking tools can also be
used for stripping. Excavators can be used to
fell trees together with their root clumps. The
mineral soil thus exposed forms a good substratum for saplings.
Creation of Small Openings

Small openings are usually created in young,
homogeneous conifer forests. The openings
are created by felling all conifers within an
area of a few hundred square metres.There are
two main methods. Small openings, in which
new deciduous trees may grow, can be created.
Alternatively, conifers can be felled around
the existing deciduous trees which are losing
the competition for light and living space.
The creation of small openings increases the
amount of deciduous trees, and increases the
mosaicity of the forest. The saplings growing
in the openings also increase the diversity of
the age distribution of the stand.
Burning
Burning is one forest restoration method. The
sites picked for burning are usually of low or
medium fertility, because highly fertile forests
are usually too moist to be burned. When the
forest is burned, some of the trees are charred,
some die immediately, and some die over a
period of years. As a result, wood in all stages
of decay is continually produced in the area.
The diversity of tree species usually increases
after a re. The new tree stands sometimes
form in clusters, sometimes separately, with
varying distances between the trees. The trees
are of different ages, because part of the original stand survives the re. Increased insolation caused by burning is a prerequisite for
certain rare or endangered species.
The European Union (EU) supports boreal
forest restoration in Finland. Several projects
have received EU Life Nature funding for the
ecological restoration of forests. The most
extensive of the projects currently under way
is the Restoration of Boreal Forests and
Forest-Covered Mires project (www.metsa./
metsa-life), in which around 5000 hectares
of former commercial forests belonging to
Natura 2000 will be restored. The project will
last until the end of 2007, and the state enterprise Metshallitus and its partners are
responsible for its execution.
Section XIII
Restoring After Disturbances
47
After Fires
Peter Moore

The re situation needs to be analysed as
well as possible with available data to
support decisions about restoration.
Identifying and engaging with those who
light res, have re responsibilities, or are
impacted by res is critical.
Protecting the restoration site from re until
species being used can withstand re, if it is
a natural disturbance, is essential.
1. Background and
The need to restore a landscape for its conservation objectives after re has impacted may
appear to be clear and is often obvious.
However, without an understanding of the
causes of the re and its role in the ecosystem,
then what is clear and obvious may be
totally misunderstood.
1.1. Short Historical Account

of Fire
Throughout history there have been large res
that have damaged human assets and impinged
on human perceptions. Some of these events
have framed human response to re. They continue to do soPortugal, Spain, Los Angeles,
and eastern Australia in 2003 and the Great

Borneo res of 19971998 are examples.
Fire is one of the oldest tools known to
humans. It has been used as a management
technique in land clearance and preparation
for crops for centuries. For the thousands of
farmers, ranchers, and plantation owners on the
edge of the agriculture frontier pushing into
forests, re is the obvious mechanism. It is normally the least expensive and most effective
way of clearing vegetation and of temporarily
fertilising nutrient poor soils. In most cases the
deliberate re use we see in developing nations
is an echo of what occurred historically in what
are now developed countries such as the northeast United States in the 1700s where re was
used to clear forest and convert land to other
uses, initially agriculture.
1.2. Short Introduction to Fire in

the Landscape
Fire is a prominent disturbance factor in most
vegetation zones throughout the world, the
most ubiquitous after human urban and agricultural activities.399 In many ecosystems re is
a natural, essential, and ecologically signicant
force, organising physical and biological attributes, shaping landscape diversity, and inuencing the global carbon cycle. Fire has been part
of the landscape since Mesozoic times. The
combination of res and grasses helped create
the savannahs and open plains and provided
399
Bond and van Wilgen, 1996.
331
332
P. Moore
opportunities for the proliferation of a wide

range of grazing animals. For example, Australian vegetation has been subject to the inuence of re, by indigenous (aboriginal) burning
and then by the burning practices of European
settlers,400 over a wide range of environments.401
This pervasive re presence has inuenced a
transformation in Australia to the current ora
that are considered both re tolerant and also
in many cases are re adapted requiring re for
regeneration and life-cycle stages.402 This same
story can be told for many ecosystems.
Forest res occur because of either anthropological or natural causes. Lightning is the
most common natural cause of re. The majority of res around the globe are caused by
human activity. The extent and timing of res
differs between natural ignitions and res
by people, those by people generally being
smaller. While it is difcult to compile precise
gures, in the year 2000, a year that was not
strongly associated with bad res, the European
Communitys Global Burned Area Assessment
Project identied 251,000,000 hectares of burn
scars worldwide.403
In re-sensitive ecosystems re causes severe
damage. One widely known example, tropical
rainforest ecosystems, are characterised by high
levels of humidity and moisture, they do not
normally burn and are extremely prone to
severe re damage when they do. Damage from
re can be long lasting on a tropical forest
ecosystem.404
Just as too much re can cause problems, so
can too little. Many res in boreal forests are
caused naturally by lightning. However, some
countries, such as the United States, have had a
policy of suppressing most res that threaten to
grow out of control. Under these circumstances
re suppression can lead to unnatural conditions in which forests, which have historically
experienced small intermittent res, no longer
burn. Fire suppression can lead to a buildup of
dead biomass, and altered tree species compo400
Singh et al, 1981.

Luke and McArthur, 1978.
402
Gill, 1981.
403
Joint Research Center of the European Commission,
2002.
404
Cochrane, 2002.
401
sition, so when a re does start, instead of being

relatively small, it is much more intense and on
a large scale. This conclusion seems to have
been reinforced almost annually in the United
States since 1986.
Understanding the reason re is introduced
to or suppressed from a landscape is critical.
Should the reason not be addressed, restoring
the landscape will be difcult and ultimately
futile.
1.3. Brief Description of

Fire Impacts
Fire has played, and will continue to play, a
major role in shaping ecosystems throughout
the world. Fires can produce local extinctions
of species, alter species composition and successional stages, and bring about substantial
changes in ecosystem functioning (including
soils and hydrology). In almost all forest ecosystems throughout the world, humans have
altered the natural re regimes by changing the
frequency and intensity of res. People have
excluded or suppressed res and changed the
nature of the landscape so that a naturally
occurring re will not behave in the same way
it would have done in the absence of human
impact. The interrelationship between humans,
re, and forests is a complex one and has been
the subject of many studies and reports.405
In some ecosystems, however, re is an
uncommon or even unnatural process that
severely damages vegetation and can lead
to long-term degradation. Such re-sensitive
ecosystems, particularly in the tropics, are
becoming increasingly vulnerable to re due to
growing population, economic, and land-use
pressures.406
In most developed nations the process of
natural area loss and degradation has been
slowed or reversed. Public responses to re,
generally viewing re as negative and destructive, have led to a focus on re suppression. This
in its turn has had profound effects on vegetation patterns.407
405
406
407
Jackson and Moore, 1998.

Goldammer, 2000.
Bond and van Wilgen, 1996.
47. Forest Landscape Restoration After Fires
1.4. The Fire Impact Cycle

The key variables of re regimes are the
following:
Season in which the re takes place
The extent and patchiness of the re
The re intensityeither too low or too high
can create both negative and positive effects
Fire frequencytoo little time or too much
time between res can be negative
The cycle of re impact hinges around these
regime characteristics. The impact of a re
will be positive or negative depending on the
degree to which the re conforms to a regime
that the landscape can accommodate. Wrong
season, too small or too large, too high or too
low an intensity, and too often or not often
enough and the cycle may become out of
balance leading to negative impacts. If the cycle
remains too far out of balance with the landscape, then re may lead to a long-term alteration to the ecosystem.
These characteristics of re can create significant impacts if they hinder the ecosystems
capacity to absorb and harness their inuence.
So re may not be intrinsically positive or negative but always has the potential to have a profound impact with potentially long-term effects.
Fire is of specic concern where a particular
landscape represents a signicant or unique
ecosystem of global importance. Under such
circumstances it becomes even more important
to evaluate and manage the role of re to
sustain those values.
Changes in the re regime that fall outside
the capacity of the landscape to contain them
will possibly inuence a cycle of impact that,
depending on perspective, will be considered
either negative or positive.
1.5. The Questions of Restoration

After Fire
333
the role of re in a particular landscape. This

in turn needs to be informed about the re
presence in the landscapeHow many? How
often? How large? How intense? What season?
Also, the cause of re in the landscape must be
identied. Fires can be thought of as having the
following characteristics:
A sourcethe ignition means, such as lightning, matches, metal striking rocks
A causethe agent that lit the re, such as
farmer, tourist, or land-clearing contractor
A motivationthe reason the re was lit,
such as negligence, livelihood, or accident
Armed with good knowledge of the re characteristics, the reasons underlying the origin of
the re, and understanding the role of re in a
particular landscape, the following restoration
questions can be answered:
Is restoration likely to be successful or
useful?
Can/should the same species be used for
restoration?
Will restoration have to be staged, with
initial work creating the opportunities for
later efforts?
1.5.2. Fire as a Natural Disturbance

The need for restoration will rest on the extent
to which the re regime is out of step with what
the landscape can accommodate. Actions might
1.5.2.1. Controlling Fire to Bring It within
the Regime that the Landscape
can Absorb
Reducing ignition sources
Managing fuels
Suppressing res that do not meet the
requirements for the landscape (a very difcult decision to make408)
1.5.1. Why and When Restoring?

The natural and human created role of res in
landscapes sets up the context for decisions
about restoring landscapes. The decisions need
to be based very clearly on an understanding of
408
It is far easier to suppress all res than to make such a

decision. Human assets may be impacted, perceptions of
the role of re in the landscape will differ, and hence the
res that should or should not be suppressed will vary. Conict is likely, particularly when damage is caused.
334
P. Moore
Replanting with local species to overcome

losses, which will normally have to include
protecting the replanting from re that is
inconsistent with the landscape re regime
Removing species that have been favoured
by inappropriate re or that have invaded,
including the use of re in some cases
Undertaking physical works to protect,
restore, or limit the degradation of the landscape features such as soil and drainage lines
1.5.2.2. Introducing Fire to Reestablish

a Fire Regime Consistent with
the Landscape
Setting res under prescribed conditions consistent with the re regime
Measuring and if necessary managing fuels
Suppressing res that do not meet the
requirements for the landscape
Removing species that have been favoured
by inappropriate re or that have invaded
(including the use of re in some cases)
Undertaking physical works to protect,
restore or limit the degradation of the landscape features such as soil, drainage lines.
1.5.3. Fire as a Degradation Factor

Where re has no natural role in the landscape,
then the steps are much clearer. Fire needs to
be controlled to reduce its pressure on the landscape. Removing re from a landscape entirely
is generally impossibleaccidents and very
infrequently occurring combinations of factors
will at some time create conditions that lead
to res.
1.5.4. Fire Used as a Tool

Where re is being used as a tool in the landscape there is rst a need to clearly establish
the aspects of cause: ignition, source, and motivation. Depending on the insights developed
there are likely to be a range of options
for landscape restoration. If re is not impacting negatively on the landscape, there may be
no need to deal with re and restoration to
meet other objectives can continue. Fire may

also be used as an active tool to accelerate
restoration.
2. Examples
In general there are very few efforts to restore
landscapes after re anywhere in the world.
Of the aspects of re management, two
prevention and restorationare notably
absent and apparently ignored in most jurisdictions. Much of the work that is done on burnt
areas has apparently been simplistic in origin
(to stop erosion) and implementation (dropping grass seed from aircraft). Consequently
in the literature and documentation there is
little carefully considered re-related restoration work described.
2.1. Attempting to Rehabilitate

Rainforests in East Kalimantan,
Indonesia
Following the severe res that burnt through
Grand Park Bukit Soeharto in East Kalimantan in the 1980s and early 1990s, the timber
concession companies that had responsibility
for areas elsewhere in the province were
required to rehabilitate the park. This has
taken the form of narrow plantings of an introduced Acacia species and roadside signs identifying the company responsible for each section
of the rehabilitation. While it has reestablished
tree cover, the vegetation is introduced and
does not resemble the forest removed or lost to
the res in terms of species mix, structure, or
habitat.
As part of GTZs Sustainable Forest Management Project, which was operating at the
time of the res, the following principles were
developed for the rehabilitation of re-affected
forests:
Maintenance of the forest area
Sustainable management of forest resources:
Economically sound management targets
should be dened and agreed to by the concessions stakeholders, giving consideration
to the local conditions and forest functions.
Appropriate silvicultural treatments should

be performed to reach these management
targets.
Ecological sustainability: Management targets should be directed toward the type of
forest that is native to the area. Silviculture
activities should have minimal negative
effects on the remaining stand and soil and
should prioritise management of the residual
stand, natural regeneration, and mixed planting using local species suitable to the site.
Forest protection: The forest is the foremost
asset so it must be protected from pests,
disease, illegal logging, re and other
disturbances.
Community participation to increase community welfare through benets from forest
resources and support efforts to protect the
forest
2.2. Restoration in Giant Forest

Sequoia and Kings Canyon
National Parks, California409
Development in giant forest in Sequoia and
Kings Canyon National Parks altered the vegetation in several ways. Trees were cleared for
buildings and parking lots, leaving distinct
openings in the forest canopy. The forest
overstorey was thinner because trees that
threatened human safety and property were
removed. Trampling and soil compaction
reduced or eliminated the forest understorey,
including grasses, wildowers, shrubs, and tree
seedlings. The soil seed bank, which inuences
the regenerative potential of the forest, was
likely depleted. Small patches of wetland vegetation were lost where ll was placed over
meadow edges or streams.
The disturbance caused by human development resembled that caused by natural, prescribed re killing patches of mature trees,
creating openings, or gaps, in the canopy. These
re-caused gaps were colonised by patches of
abundant shrub and tree regeneration, particularly giant sequoia, with little regeneration
beneath intact canopy.
409
Source:
vegetation.htm.
http://www.nps.gov/seki/snrm/gf/ecology/
335
Shrub and tree regeneration in re-caused

gaps was mapped and the patterns of regeneration were used as a model for restoring vegetation in Giant Forest Village. The short-term
goal of vegetation restoration in Giant Forest
Village is to reproduce the species composition, density, and spatial pattern of regeneration
that would result from a natural re event. The
long-term goal is to integrate the site into the
natural re regime typical of surrounding areas
of giant forest, re-creating the range of natural
variability and then allowing natural processes
to thin the vegetation.
2.3. Restoration After Fires in

Mediterranean Forest
Landscapes410
Fires are part of the natural disturbances to
which Mediterranean forests are adapted.
Nevertheless, during the last decades the
natural re regimes have been altered and
increasingly there are large-scale, very intense,
and frequent human-induced res. From experience in Portugal, where in 2003 WWF and the
local nongovernmental organisation (NGO),
Associao de Defesa do Patrimnio de
Mrtola (ADPM), developed plans to restore
forest landscapes that were devastated by res,
a number of steps were taken:
Geographical information system (GIS)
assessment of soil degradation and hydrologic erosion risk of the different landscape
components
The GIS assessment of the re incidence in
the forest cover and mycorrhizal soil component in the mosaic of habitat types within the
forest landscape
Analysis of the socioeconomic impact, including forecasts in productivity loss and
risk of abandonment of forest uses and rural
exodus
Planning the different technical options
to be adopted within the landscape for
preventing degradation and activating the
natural recovery of burned areas, including
burned vegetation management techniques;
410
This example was provided by Pedro Regato, WWF

Mediterranean Programme.
336
P. Moore
it is preferable not to remove burned

vegetation from the forest area, as it provides protection to soil and to the natural
regeneration.
Active restoration in landscape areas with
risk of soil erosion and little or no natural
regeneration in the rst years. As much
as possible, it would be preferable to promote planting by combining root-sprouting
species, such as evergreen oaks, small trees
strawberry tree, myrtle, mastic treewith
leguminous shrubs
Management of sprouting trees, mainly oak
species, through cutting operations to accelerate the establishment of healthy coppice
woodlands
Clearance of re-prone monospecic shrublands, for example, rocky rose shrubs and
plantation of scattered trees and shrubs, as
well as pasture patches to increase plant
diversity, accelerate succession, and reduce
the risk of res
Nonintervention in areas with low re impact
where the natural regeneration has a good
after-re response
Reducing the risk of res recurring in the
forest landscape
Creation of natural rebreaks within the
forest landscape, especially in areas where
forest management options have simplied
the landscape structure (see Developing
Firebreaks).
Restoring riparian forest vegetation in
ravines and river networks
Redesigning tree plantations where timber/
pulp commercial tree stands should be alternated with silvipastoral woodland stands
dominated by oak, ash, chestnuts, juniper,
stone pine, etc.
Restoring the economic and social potential
of the burned forest landscape
Activities should be participatory in order to
understand and restore the economic and
social values of burned forest landscapes
Restoration should be designed and planned
to reduce large-scale re risk and may imply
the need for funding schemes, such as governmental subsidies or environmental services payments, to support the establishment
of natural and economically benecial rebreaks, and to diversify the existing land-use
options in private and public land
2.4. Potential Adverse Impacts

Adverse impacts of restoration after res are
most likely to result from the use of inappropriate (exotic) species, physical restoration
efforts that change or impact soils or drainage
features, or replanting that alters the preferred
mix of local species. In the Bitterroot National
Forest in Montana, wildres burnt extensive
areas in 2000. The amount of disturbance by
both wildres and fuel treatments before res
combined with the use of exotic seed in mixes
applied for erosion control are suggested as
factors in establishing invasive species in the
landscape.411 Conditions that potentially favour
invasive species included increased light and
nutrient levels, reduced plant competition, and
exposed soil. In some sites, 2 years later, the
re weeds had increased in density and were
present on plots that had previously been
free of invasive species. Knapweed (there are
several species) had increased in relation to the
severity of resthe more severe, the higher
the density of this weed.There are cases of invasive species following wildres that reduce the
chance of native plant recovery identied in
New Mexico in the United States.412
3. Outline of Tools
The major input required for framing restoration after res is strong insight into the res
themselves. The facts, factors, and information
that need to be gathered include those listed
earlier. Collectively, re-related data, identication of the re regime, and clarity about cause
(ignition, source of re, motivation for re)
provide a solid foundation for dealing with the
res and then restoring the landscape if it
proves possible and desirable. For developing
nations, re is often perceived as part of that
411
412
Sutherland, 2003.
Hunter et al, 2003.
development. Consequently analysis of livelihood requirements and sectoral use of re in

economic development is needed.
Analysing res is essential and relatively
straightforward if the data and information are
available. The key information is simple and the
focus is on the motivation for the resdealing
with this is essential to identify the restoration
strategy required and its components. Though
there is no documented formal or systematic process for the analysis of res, the process
basically involves obtaining answers to a series
of questions:
For res:
When did the re start?
Where did the re start?
When did the re nish?
How large is the area burnt?
What ignited the re?
Why was the re started?
Where are the res likely to be?
What time of year/season are res likely to
occur?
For people:
Who manages and inuences land
communities, forest agencies, concessionaires, ministry of agriculture, ministry of
transmigration, provincial and district
leadership, others?
Who is impactedpeople, transport sector,
tourism sector, health sector, agricultural
sector, manufacturing industry?
Who can assist with resre services, communities, forest agencies, concessionaires,
ministry of agriculture, ministry of transmigration, provincial and district leadership?
For those identied above:
What role do they play?
What is their motivation?
Why should they be involved?
Who is responsible and should ght the re?
Who is affected and will need/want to ght
the re?
Who is responsible for res that cause
damage?
Who is impacted by res?
Who should pay or undertake recovery?
337
For the landscape:

What is the ideal landscape state, given the
inuences of res and people?
Is there an ecological role for re in the
landscape?
Should/must re have a role in the
landscape?
By collating the answers to these questions
as far as possible (informed guesses are sometimes the only information available), the re
picture can be framed.
Once the re situation is understood,
then decisions about restoration strategies and
techniques can be made. If the res are going
to be repeated, then restoration itself may not
be successful or require re management to
ensure restored areas are not burnt at all, not
burnt before they can be, or are ready to be
burnt.
4. Future Needs
There is increasing recognition of the often
strong capacity communities have in re management. Their reasons, skills, and understanding can be highly developed and should be
harnessed. The community/local understanding
of re and its role as well as techniques for
using re should be the basis for improving re
management. Expanding the recognition of
community-based re management (CBFiM)
and the core role people play through using re
in the landscape is essential in the context
of nations where government structures and
approaches are developing and resources and
support may be limiting.
As discussed earlier it is critical to obtain,
maintain, or initiate records of unwanted res,
re use, and re behaviour to enable analysis to
support the renement of techniques of deliberate re use and targeting of information and
inputs to reduce unwanted impacts of res.
References
Bond, W.J., and van Wilgen, B.W. 1996. Fire and
Plants. Chapman & Hall, London.
338
P. Moore
Cochrane, M.A. 2002. Spreading like wildre

tropical forest res in Latin America and the
Caribbean. Prevention, assessment and early
warning. UNEP, Regional Ofce for Latin
America and the Caribbean, Mexico.
Gill, A.M. 1981. Adaptive responses of Australian
vascular plant species to res. In: Gill, A.M.,
Groves, R.H., and Noble, I.R., eds. Fire and the
Australian Biota. Australian Academy of Science,
Canberra.
Goldammer, J. 2000. Global Fire Issues. In: Saile, P.,
Stehling, H., and von der Heyde, B., eds. WALDINFO 26. Special IssueForest Fire Management
in Technical Co-operation. Gesellschaft fr
Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ). Eschborn,
Germany.
Hunter, M.E., Omi, P.N., Martinson, E.J., Chong,
G.W., Kalkhan, M.A., and Stohlgren, T.J. 2003.
Effects of fuel treatments, post-re rehabilitation
treatments and wildre on establishment of invasive species. Second International Wildland Fire
Ecology and Fire Management congress and Fifth
Symposium on Fire and Forest Meteorology,
Orlando, Florida, 1620 November.
Jackson, W.J., and Moore, P.F. 1998. The role of
indigenous use of re in forest management and
conservation. International Seminar on Cultivating Forests: Alternative Forest Management Practices and Techniques for Community Forestry.
Regional Community Forestry Training Center,
Bangkok, Thailand.
Joint Research Center of the European Commission.
2002. Global Burnt Area 2000 (GBA2000) dataset:
http://www.gvm.jrc.it/re/gba2000/.
Luke, R.H., and McArthur, A.G. 1978. Bushres
in Australia. Australian Government Publishing
Service, Canberra.
Singh, G., Kershaw, A.P., and Clark, R. 1981. Quaternary vegetation and re history in Australia. In:
Gill, A.M., Groves, R.H., and Noble, I.R., eds. Fire
and the Australian Biota. Australian Academy of
Science, Canberra.
Sutherland, S. 2003. Wildre and weeds in the northern Rockies. Second International Wildland Fire
Ecology and Fire Management congress and Fifth
Symposium on Fire and Forest Meteorology.
Orlando, Florida, 1620 November.
Web Sites
US National Parks Service
http://www.nps.gov/re/re/reprogram.html.
Global Fire Manitoring Centre
http://www.re.uni-freiburg.de/programmes/
natcon/natcon_5.htm.
Additional Reading
Bowman, M. 2003. Landscape analysis of aboriginal
re management in Central Arnhem Land, North
Australia. Second International Wildland Fire
Ecology and Fire Management Congress, Orlando,
Florida, 1620 November.
Ganz, D., Fisher, R.J., and Moore, P.F. 2003. Further
dening community-based re management: critical elements and rapid appraisal tools. Third International Wildland Fire Conference, October 68,
Sydney, Australia.
Moore, P.F. 2001. Fires, community action and law
enforcement in S.E. Asia. Paper prepared for
the Forest Law Enforcement and Governance:
World Bank East Asia Ministerial Conference,
September 1113, Denpasar, Indonesia.
Moore, P.F. 2001. Forest res in ASEAN: data, denitions and disaster? ASEAN Regional Center for
Biodiversity Conservation, Workshop on Forest
Fires: Its Impact on Biodiversity, Brunei Darussalam, 2023 March.
Moore, P.F., Ganz, D., Tan, L., Enters, T., and Durst,
P.B., eds. 2002. Communities in ames: proceedings
of an international conference on community
involvement in re management. FAO RAP Publication 2002/25.
Petty, A., Banfai, D., Prior, L.D., and Lehmann,
C. (2003) Introducing the Kakadu Landscape
Change Project: a multidisciplinary assessment of
50 years of landscape change in the tropical
Savannah Region of Northern Australia. Third
International Wildland Fire Conference, October
68, Sydney, Australia.
Reeb, D., Moore, P.F., and Ganz, D. 2003. Five Case
Studies of Community Based Fire Management.
FAO Headquarters, Rome.
48
Restoring Forests After
Violent Storms
Daniel Vallauri

After a violent storm, there is typically a
move to restore, starting as soon as possible
to implement salvage logging and replanting.
This leads to two paradoxes: an economic
paradox, that nancial prot is not always
guaranteed but investment is facilitated; and
an ecological paradox, that natural disturbances, including violent storms, are essential to the functioning and the preservation
of biodiversity.
There is a good deal of information in the literature, and eld experience includes largescale use of natural dynamics.
Restoration questions after storms are a key
topic in order to encourage forest management improvements, both on paper and in
the eld.
Careful lobbying, policy work, and communications are needed.
1. Background and
Every year somewhere in the temperate zone
violent storms damage forests and cause large
economic losses for forest owners. In an
average year in Northern Europe the area
damaged is equivalent to the net increase in
commercial forest area. The overall forest area

affected is many times larger.
Forest damage due to violent storms is often
described as a climatic and economic disaster.
After a violent storm, there is typically a
move by politicians, the general public, the
media, and foresters to restore, starting as soon
as possible to implement salvage logging and
replanting. However, when considering
responses to storms two main paradoxes should
be considered:
The economic paradox: Broken and
uprooted trees have lost part of their timber
value. Harvesting in forests damaged by
violent storms is more difcult and dangerous, thus many trees do not cover the cost
of logging operations. Articial replanting
(including soil treatments) is also expensive.
As a whole, such a salvage logging/articial
replantation policy is extremely expensive
for society, which generally supports these
operations through European Union (EU)
and national subsidies. These facts lead to a
rst paradox that even though nancial prot
is not always guaranteed in post storm
operations, investment is facilitated and
increased.
The ecological paradox: Modern ecological
theory asserts that natural disturbances,
including violent storms, are essential to
the functioning of old-growth forests
and that they contribute positively to the
preservation of biodiversity. Indeed, they
drive greater species diversity and sustain
339
340
D. Vallauri
never-ending forest cycles. This paradox is

partly explained by the fact that, over recent
decades, forest structure and composition
have been increasingly modied for human
uses. Management rules have sometimes
weakened the resistance (e.g., largescale, pure, even-aged spruce or poplar
plantations) and resilience of forests
(natural ability to regenerate without assistance), especially in central and western
Europe.
There is a good deal of information in the literature on the effect of storms on forests and
on restoration in various contexts. Here are a
few recent examples from the temperate forests
of Europe and North America.
In the aftermath of a violent storm, the

main challenges for conservationists are the
following:
Nothing is permanent, except change.

Eraclite, 500 a.d.
Avoid additional harsh human intervention,

especially on soils or key habitats while
logging. Numerous experiences prove that
the direct impact of violent storms is often far
less dangerous for biodiversity than poorly
planned and implemented post-storm
actions.
Reintroduce forest productivity along with
forest biodiversity and other social uses, if
any of these functions have been damaged
by the storms, and avoid restoration
errors.
Because it is one of the very few forest events
that raise public interest about forest issues,
the aftermath represents a key period for
efcient lobbying and communication to
improve eld practices and above all forest
policies (including subsidies).
Today forestry is facing the challenge of
achieving sustainable and multifunctional management in complex ever-changing social and
ecological environments. Storms are predicted
to become more frequent in the temperate zone
as a consequence of global climate changes.
Thus, storms above all provide us with the
opportunity to dene management in closer
harmony with natures rules. Key questions to
explore and answer to help with this process
include: How can we better integrate natural
disturbances in science-based forest management? How can we reduce forest vulnerability?
How can we recover natural resilience? How
can we help to restore?
2. Examples
2.1. Learning from Ecological

Studies413
Forest management ought to better integrate

the consequences of ecological disturbances.
This requires a deep understanding of natural
disturbance regimes and forest resistance and
resilience, which is also essential for forest landscape restoration.
Some of the key ideas about storm disturbance are listed below. We use as an example
data from Fontainebleau National Forest,
France:
Time period, frequency, and intensity of
events are variable. Climatic data on winds,
ice storms, tornadoes, etc., and an analysis of
past events that affected forests facilitate risk
assessment. In Fontainebleau the periodicity
of violent medium-size storms, for example,
is evaluated as one event every 25 to 30 years
(1938, 1967, and 1990 for the last century),
more than half occurring between November
and January.
Resistance of forests to winds is a complex
issue, expressed by a nonlinear and multiscale relationship among climatic, geographic, and ecological factors. Of the latter,
the relationship between soil and forest stand
structure is particularly decisive (type of root
system, deciduous or evergreen, etc.). Oversimplied forest structures are dangerously
sensitive to strong winds at landscape scales.
In Fontainebleau, all stands are sensitive to
wind speeds higher than 120 km/h, but pure
evergreen trees with shallow root systems
413
Pontailler et al, 1997; Rogers, 1996; Schaetzl et al, 1989.
48. Restoring Forests After Violent Storms
(like spruce) on sandy or humid soils are

more sensitive to damage.
One of the consequences of the two previous
points is that violent storms may result in
very different levels of damage in terms of
the proportion of uprooted trees or snags,
and in terms of distribution (single-tree
openings, medium-size gaps, or very large
gaps). In Fontainebleau, violent winter
storms in old-growth broad-leaved forest
usually damage from 2.7 to 21.2 trees per
hectare (a majority of beech trees with dbh
(diameter at breast height) from 35 to 85 cm)
and create a mosaic of small gaps (mean size
175 m2) on 4 to 21 percent of forest area.
Resilience depends on numerous factors,
including biodiversity, ecosystem health, and
structural complexity (forest stand and
understorey). Depending on the size, characteristics, and context of gaps (seed availability, for example), natural regeneration occurs
rapidly or not, with the expected target
species or not. In Fontainebleau, single-tree
gaps are rapidly closed by beech, whereas in
larger openings oak could be dominant and
birch colonises bare soil.
Where forest is near natural in structure,
storms support natural functioning which in
turn supports biodiversity conservation,
including species depending on open and
humid habitats.
2.2. New York State: Banning

Salvage Logging in Protected
Areas414
341
erally started with complete and rapid salvage

logging, including in wilderness area (although
it required a waiver from wilderness state
legislation).
Considering the specic context of the 1995
storm, for which key elements were a wellprepared science-based expertise (including an
information system that enabled rapid and reliable evaluation of scenarios), ecological pressure from society and weak economic demand
for timber, a new ofcial policy was adopted by
the governor for the forest preserves. It corresponds to a near-complete reversal of preceding policy: no salvage logging, reinforcement
of the forever wild statement for forest
preserves; and operations limited to cleaning
roads, trails, and campsite facilities. Salvage
logging was specically rejected as being
uneconomic.
In Europe, another example of such a policy
is the one from Bavaria National Park
(Germany) following violent storms in 1983
and 1990.415 Both examples are very relevant
to the violent storm that damaged Tatra
National Park (Slovakia) in November 2004.
In Tatra National Park the restoration that
began after the storm of 1915, which included
salvage logging and articial replanting of
spruce, led 90 years later to the same
catastrophic results, both ecologically and
economically.
2.3. Restoration After the 1999

Storm in France: When
Short-Term Subsidies Dene
the Strategy
In northern New York State, strong winds

caused signicant damage in July 1995 over
approximately 400,000 hectares of private
and public forests. Out of the approximately
175,000 hectares of public area designated as
the Adirondack Park Forest Preserve, damage
was particularly high (60 to 100 percent) over
9700 hectares and moderate (30 to 60 percent)
over 25,300 hectares.
State policy following such events since the
1950s was technically based, focussed on forest
health (threat of re, deadwood, pests) and gen-
The storms of December 1999 in France

affected about 500,000 hectares, that is, 1/30 of
the French forest area (140 million m3 of
downed wood). Apart from the importance of
the damage, the sharp social debate following
this storm forced forest stakeholders, including
NGOs, to revise their strategy and to
design restoration far more carefully than in the
past.
WWF promoted a science-based strategy
emphasising multifunctionality and sustainable
414
415
Robinson and Zappieri, 1999.
Fisher, 1992.
342
D. Vallauri
management. The strategy outlines seven main

principles:
Make a clear analysis of forest goals within
the landscape.
Dene the priority of the actions (logging,
planting, natural regeneration).
Follow the time scale of nature (especially to
allow natural regeneration).
Reduce additional actions likely to lead to
degradation while logging, such as using
pesticides, etc.
Use all the opportunities offered by nature
(alternative natural successions).
Closely mimic nature and facilitate its
work.
Avoid doing poorly and at high cost what
nature could do better and at a lower cost
(reduce articial work, ploughing, spraying).
WWF and partner NGOs proposed detailed
management rules, compiled into a published
charter in 2000.416 The Ofce National des
Forts, the manager of national and municipal
forests, published also in 2001417 a detailed
guidebook for restoration.
However, despite important evolution in
French forest management rules on paper, two
main problems were driving the operations in
the eld:
1. Salvage logging was the norm and done in
a hurry, sometimes with very little concern for
soil sensitivity and biodiversity. It was even
implemented in some protected areas or forest
identied as being of high conservation value
(e.g., forests inhabited by the last highly endangered capercaillie Tetrao urogallus in the
Vosges mountains). Because of the storms psychological shock and the will to sell damaged
wood, forest managers and owners sometimes
seek above all to work fast, which means very
often work as usual, and they forget recent
innovative rules and agreements.
2. The French forest subsidies framework
(including EU subsidies) after the storms of
December 1999 was redened nationally and
416
417
Vallauri, 2001; WWF et al, 2000.

Mortier, 2001.
adapted by each regional administration.

Although some improvements were proposed
at the national level, very little was in fact subsidised at the regional level. The result was that
key operations like salvage logging and articial plantations were relied on more than
natural regeneration, for example. Salvage
logging was subsidised for up to 1500
euros/hectares, without any precise rules for
key environmental topics (like deadwood or
habitat tree retention for example).
3. Outline of Tools
3.1. Learning About Storms, Forest
Ecology, and Restoration
Storms, their impact on forests and biodiversity,
and strategies for restoration are frequently
written about in the scientic literature for
various countries and forest types. Good syntheses of these reports also exist, but are not
used enough as references to renew forest
management and policies.
3.2. Forest Policies

There are three main reasons to support policy
work that integrates natural disturbances into
national forest laws and science-based management guidelines. First, forest managers are
usually reactive to storms rather than proactive.
We need to anticipate forest damage due to
storms. Second, as stated earlier, national policies and subsidies tend currently to support
rapid implementation of salvage logging in the
eld. Third, a rapid response to such disorganising, catastrophic, psychologically shocking
events rarely produces good results unless
there is already a deep understanding of forest
ecology, rmly embedded in management rules
and culture. It is important to be well prepared.
Political lobbying helps to clarify questions
about salvage logging, deadwood retention,
logging in protected areas, management of
pests, biodiversity, and sustainable management. Developing laws, subsidies, and technical
tools in accordance with these issues is an
important task.
48. Restoring Forests After Violent Storms
3.3. Restoration Guidelines

Slow down the tractors, Set wise restoration
targets and trajectories in accordance with sustainable multifunctional forest management.
Take time to let nature do its work. Help
nature only when necessary. Save nature as
well as money. These could become the mottos
of forest restorationists after violent storms. Or,
to paraphrase, Think and, only if needed, log
and plant should replace the common Log,
plough, plant, then think.
Good guidelines and experiences do exist in
numerous regions, especially those hit by
violent storms during the last 15 years, such as
for example New York State, Switzerland,
Germany, and France. However, a better promotion of existing guidelines and pilot experiences is important for the future. Key principles
can be drawn from these examples. They
include a deeper respect for forest ecology,
forest functions, natural dynamics, and biodiversity, and thus wisely using what nature can
provide for free, keeping subsidies for those silvicultural actions that may be needed in the
medium term (such as thinning and additional
planting).
3.4. Press and Communication

Forest issues suffer from low media interest, as
they tend to be too technical and complex and
not embedded in a strong political or social
debate. They are not key nancial issues for
most developed countries, and are not appealing enough visually. They are based on too long
term an agenda, with relatively rare, urgent and
catastrophic events to catch peoples attention;
that is, they are not sexy, except for forest
res, and violent storms! Recent debates in
various countries have proven that the multifaceted questions raised by violent storms
(drama, forest mismanagement, biodiversity,
restoration) could be real topics for the media.
It is also an important opportunity for foresters
and conservationists to explain to society their
ideas, choices, and eld experiences. But as it
becomes a hot issue, professionals should be
prepared to deliver the right message at the
right time, from the day after the storm to
343
several months after the event. Rapid response

packages, like the one initiated by the
WWF European forest team, are very useful
(also see Marketing and Communications
Opportunities).
4. Future Needs
4.1. Learning from Past Events,
Adapting Guidelines, and
Pilot Sites
In terms of scientic knowledge, the needs lie
in synthesising and widely promoting key ideas,
rather than developing new research, although
some important questions, such as the comparative resistance to storms of mixed or unevenaged forest stands vs. even-aged stands, and the
economics of salvage logging, need some development. More could also be learnt from studying the old-growth forest ecology of protected
forests.
Another important need is the adaptation of
science-based management rules and tools
(geographical information system, modelling),
and ecological and economical expertise to different regional contexts. Thus, a wider exchange
of experience after storms, together with a
network of long-term pilot restoration sites,
should be promoted.
4.2. Policy Needs

Restoration after storms is a key topic, especially in Europe, in order to encourage forest
management improvements, both on paper and
in the eld, although the latter takes time. For
Europe, part of the solution could be to
improve guidelines for the use of EU subsidies
in case of storm damages and for plantations.
Careful lobbying at the time of changes in
national forest law is needed.
References
Fisher, A. 1992. Long term vegetation development
in Bavarian mountain forest ecosystems following
natural destruction. Vegetatio 103:93104.
Mortier, F. 2001. Reconstitution des forts aprs temptes. ONF, Paris.
344
D. Vallauri
Pontailler, J.Y., Faille, A., and Leme, G. 1997. Storms

drive successional dynamics in natural forests: a
case study in Fontainebleau forest (France). Forest
Ecology and Management 98(1):115.
Robinson, G., and Zappieri, J. 1999. Conservation
policy in time and space: lessons from divergent
approaches to salvage logging on public lands.
Conservation
ecology
[online]
3(1):
3,
http://www.consecol.org/vol3/iss1/art3.
Rogers, P. 1996. Disturbance ecology and forest management: a review of the literature. USDA Forest
Service Intermountain Research Station, report
INT-GTR-336.
Schaetzl, R.J., Johnson, D.L., Burns, S.F., and Small,
T.W. 1989. Tree uprooting: review of impacts on
forest ecology. Vegetatio 79:165176.
Vallauri, D. 2001. Si la fort scroule. Quelle gestion
forestire franaise aprs les temptes. Revue
Forestire Franaise 54(1):4354.
WWF, Greenpeace, RNF, FNE. 2000. Partnership
charter for forest restoration after the December
99 storms in France. Paris.
Additional Reading
Armstrong, G.W. 1999. A stochastic characterisation
of the natural disturbance regime of the boreal
mixedwood forest with implications for sustainable forest management. Canadian Journal for
Forestry Research 29:424433.
Baker, W.L. 1992. The landscape ecology of large disturbances in the design and management of nature
reserves. Landscape Ecology 7(3):181194.
Bergeron, Y., and Harvey, B. 1997. Basing silviculture
on natural ecosystem dynamics: an approach
applied to the southern boreal mixedwood forest
of Quebec. Forest Ecology and Management
92(13):235242.
Dale, V.H., Lugo, A.E., MacMahon, J.A., and Pickett,
S.T.A. 1998. Ecosystem management in the
context of large, infrequent disturbances. Ecosystems 1:546557.
Ennos, A.R. 1997. Wind as an ecological factor.
Trends in Ecology and Evolution 12(3):108111.
Faille, A., Leme, G., and Pontailler, J.Y. 1984a.

Dynamique des clairires dune fort inexploite
(rserves biologiques de la fort de Fontainebleau). I. Origine et tat actuel des ouvertures.
Acta Oecologica, Oecologica Generalis 5(1):35
51.
Faille, A., Leme, G., and Pontailler, J.Y. 1984b.
Dynamique des clairires dune fort inexploite
(rserves biologiques de la fort de Fontainebleau). II. Fermeture des clairires actuelles.
Acta Oecologica, Oecologica Generalis 5(2):181
199.
Foster, D.R., Knight, D.H., and Franklin, J.F. 1998.
Landscape patterns and legacies resulting from
large, infrequent forest disturbances. Ecosystems
1:497510.
Larsen, J.B. 1995. Ecological stability of forests and
sustainable silviculture. Forest Ecology and Management 73:8596.
Peterson, C.J., and Pickett, S.T.A. 1991. Treefall and
resprouting following catastrophic windthrow in
an old-growth hemlock-hardwoods forest. Forest
Ecology and Management 42(34):205217.
Peterson, C.J., and Pickett, S.T.A. 1995. Forest reorganisation: a case study in an old-growth forest
catastrophic blowdown. Ecology 76:763774.
Pickett, S.T.A., Kolasa, J., Armesto, J.J., and Collins,
S.L. 1989. The ecological concept of disturbance
and its expression at various hierarchical levels.
Oikos 54:129136.
Romme, W.H., Everham, E.H., Frelich, L.E.,
Moritz, M.A., and Sparks, R.E. 1998. Are large,
infrequent disturbances qualitatively different
from small, frequent disturbances? Ecosystems
1:524534.
Schaetzl, R.J., Johnson, D.L., Burns, S.F., and Small,
T.W. 1989. Tree uprooting: review of terminology,
process and environmental implications. Canadian
Journal of Forest Research 19:111.
Sousa, W.P. 1984. The role of disturbance in natural
communities. Annual Review of Ecological
Systematics 15:353391.
Ulanova, N.G. 2000. The effect of windthrow on
forests at different spatial scales: a review. Forest
49
Managing the Risk of Invasive Alien
Species in Restoration
Jeffrey A. McNeely

Introduced species that become invasive can
become a major concern as they can cause
signicant ecological and economical
damage. Restoration may often equate to
the removal of these species. On the other
hand, in some cases, attempts to restore
using inappropriate species has itself led to
the problem of invasive alien species (IAS).
Restoration may often equate to the
removal of these species.
Prevention and best practices for alien
species are amongst the most important
tools to contain the problem.
Because the problem is transboundary, it is
necessary to create common protocols and
to enhance the capacity to deal with invasive
alien species.
1. Background and
1.1. Overview of Invasive
Alien Species
Globalisation has encouraged the free movement of goods but also of plants. On the one
hand, plants are available from virtually anywhere in the world for various uses, but on the
other hand, species that are moved by people
from one part of the world to another can

expand beyond the area where they were
planted, and end up causing substantial damage
to natural ecosystems. Further, global trade,
transport and tourism also provides new opportunities for unintentional introduction of
species, for example by introducing a nonnative
species of beetle that can devastate plants being
used to restore a forest.
Those alien species that become established
in a new environment, and then proliferate and
spread in ways that damage both ecosystem
health and human interests, are considered
invasive alien species (IAS). For example,
a plant or animal transported beyond the
ecosystem in which it occurs naturally may
multiply out of control, endangering native
species in the invaded ecosystem, undermining
agriculture, threatening public health, or creating other unwantedand often irreversible
disruptions.
Perhaps as many as 10 percent of the worlds
400,000 vascular plants, have the potential to
invade other ecosystems and harm native biota
in a direct or indirect way.418 Invasive species
can transform the structure and species
composition of ecosystems by repressing or
excluding native species, either directly by outcompeting them for resources or indirectly by
changing the way nutrients are cycled through
the system.
Invasive alien species have many negative
impacts on human economic interests. Weeds
418
Rejmanek and Richardson, 1996.
345
346
J.A. McNeely
reduce crop yields, increase control costs,

and decrease water supply by degrading water
catchment areas and freshwater ecosystems.
Pests and pathogens of crops, livestock, and
trees destroy plants outright, or reduce yields
and increase pest control costs.
1.2. Controlling Invasive Species

Removal of IAS often forms an important component of efforts to restore forest quality to
existing forests.
Because of their adaptability and release
from their natural prey or enemy, alien species
are very difcult to control and can seriously
hamper restoration efforts. Often a major
factor of restoration is the removal of invasive
species; for example, control of Rhododendron
ponticum from the Himalayas is a major task in
many U.K. nature reserves. In recent decades
control has typically included herbicides and
re. However, both of these may in turn cause
serious damage to the natural landscape unless
properly supervised and managed.
In addition, some stakeholders may not
wish for an invasive species to be removed, for
example, if the species in question provides economic benets. In such cases, it will be necessary to negotiate trade-offs and see how best to
contain the species and ensure that its proliferation can be controlled.
2. Examples
2.1. Invasive Species Introduced
Intentionally
In some cases, introduced species can be a signicant problem, becoming established in the
wild and spreading at the expense of native
species and affecting entire ecosystems. Notorious forest examples of these IAS that have negative effects on native biodiversity include
various species of Northern Hemisphere pines
(Pinus spp.) and Australian acacias (Acacia
spp.) in southern Africa, and Melaleuca from
South America invading Floridas Everglades
National Park. These and many other woody
plants were introduced intentionally but had
unintended consequences. Of the 2000 or so
species used in agroforestry, perhaps as many as

10 percent are invasive.419 While only about
1 percent are highly so, this includes some
popular species such as Casuarina glauca,
Leucaena leucocephala, and Pinus radiata.
2.2. Invasive Species Introduced

Unintentionally
A worse risk may be the IAS that are introduced unintentionally, such as disease organisms that can devastate an entire tree species
that is being used to restore a habitat.
The Dutch Elm disease (Ophiostoma ulmi and
O. nova-ulmi) and the American chestnut blight
(Cryphonectria parasitica) in North America
are notorious examples. Pests can have profound economic impact on native forests or
plantations, such as gypsy moths (Lymantria
dispar) or long-horned beetles (Anoplophora
glabripennis). The economic impact of such
pests amounts to several hundred million
dollars per year.420 Much of this economic toll
is felt in forested ecosystems, even within wellprotected national parks.
2.3. Controlling Invasive Grasses in

Hawaii to Promote Restoration
of a Unique Ecosystem
In Hawaii, the invasion of alien grasses has
dramatically increased the frequency and
intensity of res in dry forests. This has contributed to the conversion of almost all native
dry forests to grasslands dominated by alien
species. A study was launched to investigate the
role that landscape-level herbicide applications
followed by native plant reforestation plays in
reducing re fuel load hazards and reversing
the cumulative adverse ecosystem level effects
of monotypic stands of invasive grasses.420a Successful small-scale restoration and alien grass
control efforts at the Kaupulehu Forest,
located in North Kona on the Big Island of
Hawaii, have provided baseline information
necessary to expand restoration efforts to a
landscape level. Fountain grass (Pennisetum
419
420
420a
Richardson, 1999.
Perrings et al, 2002.
Cordell et al, 2002.
49. Managing the Risk of Invasive Alien Species
setaceum) cover has effectively been reduced

from over 90 percent to less than 10 percent
using weed-whacking and follow-up herbicide
applications. Following this, natural regeneration can be observed in the following sequence:
vines, followed by herbs, and then native
canopy trees 2 to 3 years after grass removal.
Furthermore, it has been documented that
native tree canopy cover reduces fountain grass
biomass by 50 percent, and native tree growth
increases by 50 percent when fountain grass is
removed from forested areas.
2.4. Controlling Invasive Species in

New Caledonias Dry Forests
Since Europeans arrived in New Caledonia 150
years ago, over 800 exotic plant species, 400
invertebrates and 36 vertebrates, have invaded
the original ecosystem.421 One notable example
is an Indonesian deer (Cervus timorensis russa),
which provides game for hunters on the island.
Because this deer does not have any natural
predator, it has multiplied rapidly and become
a serious problem as it feeds on dry forest
species. In doing so, this deer also hampers
natural regeneration by eating the understorey
and saplings. Fencing has been used to limit the
damage caused by these ungulates. However,
because of the high costs involved, this technique has only limited value. Research is also
underway to identify more specically which
plants are preferred by the deer in order to
better focus which species to use in restoration
activities.
3. Outline of Tools
3.1. Prevention
347
ence is undesirable. The rst line of defence is

to avoid introducing nonnative species in the
rst place, so forest restoration should use
native species to the maximum extent possible.
That said, it may well happen that a nonnative
species has characteristics that are especially
valued by the local people, for example producing valuable fruit, nuts, or gums. In such a
case, special efforts (for example, see point 3.2,
below) are required to ensure that the species
does not become invasive.
3.2. Containing Purposefully

Introduced Species
Great care is required to ensure that such
species serve the economic purposes for which
they were introduced, and do not escape to
cause unanticipated negative impacts on native
ecosystems and their biodiversity. One management option would be to plant only sterile
forms, so reproduction and spread would be
impossible. An even better option, especially
when seeking to restore habitats, is to use only
native species.
3.3. International Agreements

The 1951 International Plant Protection Convention was established to address some of the
issues pertaining to invasive species, and new
international programmes have been developed to respond to current serious problems.
3.4. Best Practices for Management

of Invasive Species at the Site
Level
Best practices for prevention and management
of IAS have been designed.422
Preventing damage requires predicting which

species can cause harm and preventing their
introduction, and dealing effectively with the
cases in which a species is already causing problems. It is not always simple to distinguish an
alien species from an invasive one; taxa that are
useful in one part of a landscape may invade
other parts of the landscape where their pres-
A global strategy has been developed by the

Global Invasive Species Programme (GISP).
This has been widely circulated and provides
guidance to countries. It includes aspects of
research, capacity building, communications,
international cooperation, and quick response.
421
422
Gargominy et al, 1996.
3.5. Global Strategy
Wittenberg and Cock, 2001.
348
J.A. McNeely
These elements are expanded in section 4,

below.423
4. Future Needs
A comprehensive solution for dealing with
invasive alien species as part of forest restoration is needed. Here is a suggested outline of
this framework:
1. An effective national capacity to deal
with IAS. Building national capacity could
include:
Designing and establishing a rapid-response
mechanism to detect and respond immediately to the presence of potentially invasive
species as soon as they appear, with sufcient
funding and regulatory support
Appropriate training and education programmes to enhance individual capacity,
including customs ofcials, eld staff, managers, and policy makers
Developing institutions at the national or
regional level that bring together biodiversity
specialists with agricultural quarantine specialists to collaborate on implementing
national programmes on IAS
Building basic border control and quarantine
capacity, ensuring that agricultural quarantine ofcers, customs ofcials, and food
inspection ofcers are aware of the elements
of the biosafety protocol.
2. Fundamental and applied research, at
local, national, and global levels: Research is
required on taxonomy, invasion pathways, management measures, and effective monitoring.
Further understanding on how and why species
become established can lead to improved prediction on which species have the potential to
become invasive, improved understanding of
lag times between rst introduction and establishment of IAS, and better methods for
excluding or removing alien species from
traded goods, packaging material, ballast water,
personal luggage, and other methods of transport.
423
McNeely et al, 2001.
3. Effective technical communications: An

accessible knowledge base, a planned system
for review of proposed introductions, and an
informed public are needed both within countries and between countries. Already, numerous
major sources of information on invasive
species are accessible electronically, and more
could also be developed and promoted, along
with other forms of media.
4. Appropriate economic policies: New or
adapted economic instruments can help ensure
that the costs of addressing IAS are better
reected in market prices. Those responsible
for the introduction of economically harmful
IAS should be liable for the costs they impose.
User rights to natural or environmental
resources should include an obligation to
prevent the spread of potential IAS, and
importers of potential IAS should have liability insurance to cover the unanticipated costs of
introductions.
5. Effective national, regional, and international legal and institutional frameworks: Coordination and cooperation between the relevant
institutions are necessary to address possible
gaps, weaknesses, and inconsistencies, and to
promote greater mutual support among the
many international instruments dealing with
IAS. National, legal and institutional frameworks should be designed along the lines recommended by Shine et al.424
6. A system of environmental risk analysis:
Such a system could be based on existing environmental impact assessment procedures that
have been developed in many countries. Risk
analysis measures should be used to identify
and evaluate the relevant risks of a proposed
activity regarding alien species, and determine
the appropriate measures that should be
adopted to manage the risks. This would also
include developing criteria to measure and classify impacts of alien species on natural ecosystems, including detailed protocols for assessing
the likelihood of invasion in specic habitats or
ecosystems.
7. Public awareness and engagement: If
IAS management is to be successful, the
general public must be involved. A vigorous
424
Shine et al, 2000.
49. Managing the Risk of Invasive Alien Species
public awareness programme would involve the

key stakeholders who are actively engaged in
issues relevant to IAS, including botanic
gardens, nurseries, agricultural suppliers, and
others. The public can also be involved as volunteers in eradication programmes of certain
IAS, such as woody invasive species of national
parks.
8. National strategies and plans: The many
elements of controlling IAS need to be well
coordinated, and a national strategy should
promote cooperation among the many sectors
whose activities have the greatest potential to
introduce IAS, including the military, forestry,
agriculture, aquaculture, transport, tourism,
health, and water supply.The government agencies with responsibility for human health,
animal health, plant health, and other relevant
elds need to ensure that they are all working
toward the same broad objective of sustainable
development in accordance to national and
international legislation. Such national strategies and plans can also encourage collaboration
between different scientic disciplines and
approaches that can seek new options to deal
with IAS problems.
9. Build IAS issues into global change initiatives: Global change issues relevant to IAS
begin with climate change but also include
changes in nitrogen cycles, economic development, land use, and other fundamental changes
that might enhance the possibilities of IAS
becoming established. Further, responses to
global change issues, such as sequestering
carbon, generating biomass energy, and recovering degraded lands, should be designed in
ways that use native species and do not increase
the risk of the spread of IAS.
10. Promote international cooperation: The
problem of IAS is fundamentally international,
so international cooperation is essential to
develop the necessary range of approaches,
strategies, models, tools, and potential partners
to ensure that the problems of IAS are effectively addressed. Elements that would foster
better international cooperation could include
349
developing an international vocabulary, widely

agreed and adopted; cross-sectoral collaboration among international organisations
involved in agriculture, trade, tourism, health,
and transport; and improved linkages
among the international institutions dealing
with phytosanitary, biosafety, and biodiversity
issues related to IAS and supporting these
by strong linkages to coordinated national
programmes.
References
Cordell, S., Cabin, R.J., Weller, S.G., and Lorence,
D.H. 2002. Simple and cost-effective methods
control fountain grass in dry forests (Hawaii). Ecological Restoration 20:139140.
Gargominy, O., Bouchet, P., Pascal, M., Jaffr, T., and
Tourneur, J.C. 1996. Consquences des introductions despces animales et vgtales sur la biodiversit en nouvelle-caldonie. Revue dEcologie
(Terre et Vie) 51:375402.
McNeely, J.A., Mooney, H.A., Neville, L., Schei, P.,
and Wagge J. eds. 2001. A global strategy on invasive alien species. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland.
Perrings, C., Williamson, M., and Dalmazzone, S. eds.
2002. The Economics of Biological Invasions.
Edward Elgar Publishing, Cheltenham, UK.
Rejmanek, M., and Richardson, D.M. 1996. What
attributes make some plant species more invasive?
Ecology 77(6):16551661.
Richardson, D.M. 1999. Commercial forestry and
agroforestry as sources of invasive alien trees and
shrubs. In: Sandlund, O.T., Schei, P.J., and Viken, A.
eds. Invasive Species and Biodiversity Management. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht,
pp. 237257.
Shine, C., Williams, N., and Burhenne-Guilmin, F.
2000. Legal and institutional frameworks on alien
invasive species: a contribution to the Global Invasive Species Programme Global Strategy Document. IUCN Environmental Law Programme,
Bonn, Germany.
Wittenberg, R., and Cock, M. eds. 2001. Invasive
Alien Species: A Tool Kit of Best Prevention
and Management Practices. CAB International,
Wallingford, UK.
50
First Steps in Erosion Control
Steve Whisenant

Although natural erosion occurs on many
landforms, accelerated erosion (caused by
peoples activities) is the focus of most
restoration efforts.
Increasing the cover of vegetation or litter,
preferably both, is the most effective strategy for reducing erosion.
1. Background and
Forest landscape restoration requires the
stabilisation of soil resources. The loss of soil
to erosion leads to irreversible changes and
degrades physical, chemical, and biological
properties. Although natural erosion occurs on
many landforms, accelerated erosion (caused
by human activity) is the appropriate focus
of most restoration efforts. Wind erosion is a
serious problem that may occasionally be
reduced by planting trees. Hill slope erosion,
wind erosion, and mass movement (slump
erosion) are common problems and are the
primary focus of this chapter.
1.1. Understanding the Variety of

Erosion Processes
Hill slope erosion is caused by the direct impact
of raindrops on the soil surface, overland (inter-
350
rill) ows, and small channel ows.425 Overland

ow begins as surface depressions are lled and
when rain falls faster than water inltrates into
the soil. Although overland ow is often viewed
as a sheet of water owing over the surface, it
typically includes numerous shallow, but easily
denable channels, called rills. The relative
amount of sediment detached and transported
by inter-rill ow is small compared to splash
and rill erosion. Rills are small enough to be
removed by normal tillage operations, but may
become too large (gully) to remove with tillage.
Rill erosion is substantially more erosive than
overland ow and is a function of hill slope
length, depth of ow, shear stress, and critical
discharge. Rill erosion starts when the eroding
force of the ow exceeds the ability of the soil
particles to resist detachment. Flow depth and
velocity increase substantially where surface
irregularities concentrate overland ows into
rills. Once rills are established, the concentrated
ow develops more detachment force, and the
rill formation process is enhanced. Rill development moves upslope as headcuts. Some
rills develop rapidly and become more deeply
incised. These master rills become longer and
deeper than their neighbours. Occasionally
ows from adjacent rills break into master rills
by eroding the boundary between them. As the
rill ow becomes concentrated toward master
rills, previously parallel rills develop a recognisable dendritic drainage pattern. As rills coa-
425
Brooks et al, 1991.
50. First Steps in Erosion Control
lesce, ow concentrations and velocity increase

until the more deeply incised rills become
gullies.
Wind erosion is greatest on ne soil particles
such as silt, clay, and organic materials. This
wind-driven sorting increases the proportion of
coarse materials in wind-eroded sites. Windblown particles are moved in three ways: (1)
saltation, the bouncing of particles across the
surface; (2) suspension in wind; and (3) surface
creep, the movement of larger particles caused
by the pushing action of saltating particles
striking larger particles.426 The amount of wind
erosion is affected by soil erodibility, surface
roughness, climate, unsheltered distance of soil
exposed to wind, and vegetation cover. Thus
wind erosion is reduced by rougher soil surfaces, lower wind speed at the soil surface, and
more plant or litter coverage of the soil surface.
Mass movement is the downward movement
of slope-forming materials without the primary
assistance of a uid. It occurs on steep slopes
under the inuence of gravity, often exacerbated by the weight of water in the soils. Mass
movement occurs on steep slopes when deforestation, mining, re, overgrazing, construction,
or cultivation disrupts the landformclimate
vegetation equilibrium by removing the vegetation. Well-vegetated slopes generally move
downward much slower than less vegetated
slopes.427 Plants, especially woody plants
with strong, deep roots, greatly increase soil
strength, providing a stabilising effect on the
slope. In some cases, the plants also transpire
signicant quantities of water from the slope,
thus reducing the weight that contributes to
mass movements.
1.2. Protection Against Wind and

Water Erosion
Increasing the cover of vegetation or litter,
preferably both, is the most effective strategy
for reducing erosion. Plants protect the soil
with their canopy, add litter to the soil surface,
and stabilise the soil with their roots. Litter on
the soil surface reduces erosion. Soil erosion,
426
427
Toy et al, 2002.

Morgan and Rickson, 1995.
351
from water or wind, is reduced with strategies

that accomplish the following:
1. Maintain or establish a cover of vegetation, especially when erosion is most probable.
Although perennial plants are most desirable,
annual plants may provide critical, short-term
seasonal protection.
2. Create a ground cover of litter, rocks,
woody debris, erosion matting, or other materials until vegetation becomes established.
3. Increase soil surface roughness with
above-ground structures or soil surface manipulations (such as pits or furrows) that are perpendicular to water or wind ows. This
increases inltration, reduces water velocity,
and increases the wind speed necessary to initiate saltation.
4. Reduce fetch length of unobstructed
slope surfaces. This reduces the ability of
water or wind to detach and transport soil particles and minimises opportunities for overland
ows to coalesce and form larger rills and
gullies.
5. Incorporate biomass into the soil
where possible. Like the previous strategies, it
increases the rate and capacity of inltration,
thus reducing the amount of water available
for erosion. Biomass incorporation also
stimulates plant growth and soil biotic development that improve soil structure and nutrient cycling.
1.3. Additional Protection Against

Mass Movement of Steep
Slopes
Each of the previous strategies provides some
protection against mass movement. Two additional strategies provide specic protection for
slopes susceptible to mass movement.428
1. Steep slopes susceptible to mass movement are most effectively stabilised with trees
and shrubs that have strong woody root
systems. Signicant taproot development below
the slip surface greatly increases slope shear
strength, which has a strong slope-stabilising
inuence.
428
Morgan and Rickson, 1995; Whisenant, 1999.
352
S. Whisenant
Figure 50.1. Rock terraces constructed in Sichuan Province, China
to reduce runoff and soil erosion
during the establishment of trees.The
availability of labour and the local
presence of rocks made this scheme
possible in this situation. (Photo
Steve Whisenant.)
2. High transpiration rates reduce susceptibility to mass failure by reducing the

amount of water in the soil. Water increases the
slope shear stress that causes mass movement
of a slope. Transpiration increases as the leaf
area of a particular species becomes higher.
Thus, transpiration losses of new plantings
are often increased with higher planting
densities or larger trees. It is also important to
select species that transpire during the highest
water season when mass movement is most
probable.
matrix, between villages, consisted of slopestabilising trees that will provide wood
resources in the future. Many of the long, steep
slopes were terraced to increase both surface
roughness and inltration. Many of the terraces
were reinforced with rock walls built by a
readily available labour force in this region
(Fig. 50.1). This created a stable environment
for forest landscape restoration that should
provide soil coverage, organic materials, and
increased shear strength from the woody roots.
With careful management, the forest vegetation
will stabilise the slopes indenitely.
2. Examples
2.1. Slope Stabilisation in Sichuan
Province, China
In the upper watershed of the Yangzi River,
steep, deforested slopes of unconsolidated
materials are very susceptible to mass movement. To reduce mass movement and soil
erosion into the Three Gorges Reservoir, the
Sichuan Forestry Institute, and several cooperating organisations initiated forest landscape
restoration. The goal was to reforest cultivated
elds and deforested slopes within this watershed. They created landscapes with fuel wood,
medicinal plants, tree crops, and Chinese
peppers around the villages. The landscape
2.2. Stabilising Mobile Dunes in

Shaanxi Province, China
Highly mobile sand dunes were covering productive farms in northern China, near Yulin.
These dunes, created by overgrazing of sandy
lands to the north, were moving southward into
productive agricultural lands. Local scientists
developed a simple, practical strategy for dune
stabilisation. Dormant willow (Salix spp.)
branches cut to 1-m lengths were stuck vertically into the dune crests with only about 1
decimetre (dm) above the soil level. The willow
branches set root and began a rapid growth that
stabilised the dunes and captured additional
wind-blown soil and organic particles (Fig.
353
Figure 50.2. Dormant willow (Salix

spp.) stems (12 m long) were
planted into active dunes near Yulin,
Shaanxi Province, China, with only
5 to 10 cm remaining above the soil
surface. They established rapidly and
began to stabilise the dunes by
capturing sand and other windblown materials. (Photo Steve
Whisenant.)
50.2). Combined with an effective ban on

grazing by sheep and goats, this was a highly
effective dune stabilisation programme that
protected the farmland. Policies that improved
grazing practices on the sand sources (in the
northern desert) also diminished the volume of
sand reaching the farms.
2.3. Reducing Off-Site Erosion with

Watershed Restoration in Niger
Laterite plateaus in the Sahel of southwest
Niger contain banded woody vegetation
aligned on contours of gentle slopes. With
degradation of these bands, caused by woody
harvesting and browsing animals, less water is
retained on the plateaus. This reduces vegetative growth and signicantly increases runoff
from the plateaus. This additional runoff during
storm events leads to serious erosion and ooding in adjacent villages and farm elds. Reducing these off-site erosion problems required
restoration of the vegetation and natural
hydrologic regime of the plateaus.429 This
was accomplished by planting rapidly growing
shrubs into microcatchments on the plateau.
The catchments held sufcient water to allow
establishment of shrubs. These shrubs produced
ground cover, litter, shade, wind speed reduction, and root systems that fed soil organisms.
429
Manu et al, 1999.
These changes dramatically increased inltration, water retention, nutrient cycling, and
energy ows into the soil. This effectively prevented erosion and ooding problems on the
plateau as well as in the villages and farms surrounding the plateaus.
3. Outline of Tools
The most effective tools for reducing erosion
are governmental policies and land management practices that maintain healthy vegetation
and a cover of duff, litter, or woody debris.430
Though conceptually simple, this protects the
soil from raindrop impact, increases inltration,
reduces runoff, reduces saltation, and signicantly reduces soil erosion. Once the area has
been cleared, reestablishing a ground cover
prior to the next erosion season is essential.
3.1. Grazing Management that

Maintains Ground Cover
Poor grazing management probably contributes to more land degradation than any
other practice, even in forested environments.
Grazing practices that allow plants to periodically grow and reproduce will stabilise soil
resources more effectively. Recently planted
430
Whisenant, 1999.
354
S. Whisenant
Figure 50.3. Following a wildre in
Chipinque Ecological Park outside
Monterrey Mexico, the remaining
woody debris was used to create
above ground obstructions to reduce
erosion, hold water, and increase the
natural recruitment of trees. (Photo
Steve Whisenant.)
forests may require protection from grazing

animals for several years.
3.2. Wood Harvesting Schedules,

Methods, and Spatial Patterns
that Maintain Soil Coverage
and Root Biomass
Fuel wood, timber, or any other type of
wood harvesting must be scheduled and
spatially arranged to maintain good soil coverage of plants and litter. Uneven aged and
mixed species forests are more easily harvested in small areas, which reduces the size of
disturbed areas that can contribute to soil loss.
Harvesting methods that reduce the presence
of skid trails will reduce the concentration of
water ows that increase erosion problems.
Practices that leave more leaves, duff, and
woody debris on the surface will reduce erosion
hazards.
3.3. Local Materials for

Soil Protection
Ultimately, perennial plants are the most effective and practical means of protecting the soil.
However, it is often necessary to provide a
window of opportunity during which plants
can be established. Soil protection is essential
and may be obtained with the use of locally
available organic materials. Organic materials

can be incorporated into the soil or placed on
the surface to reduce erosion, increase inltration, and moderate temperature extremes.
Examples of organic materials include woody
debris following wildre (Fig. 50.3), animal
waste, cotton gin trash, coconut bre, olive pulp,
and other readily available materials that can
be used to protect the soil surface. Gravel
or rocks may also be used as above-ground
obstructions or to protect the soil surface.
3.4. Soil Surface Manipulations or

Above-Ground Obstructions
Features that roughen the soil surface have the
potential to reduce wind and water erosion
while increasing soil water available for plant
growth.431 Pits, microcatchments, furrows, or
cultivation may be used in appropriate circumstances to roughen the soil surface. Rocks,
gravel, terraces, soil bunds, or plant materials
are potential above-ground obstructions where
available. These surface changes contribute to
additional plant growth that establish positive
feedback improvement systems that continue
to increase inltration, water storage, and nutrient cycling. This leads to still more functional
improvements on the site.
431
Whisenant, 1999.
3.5. Soil Conditioners

(Polyacrylamides)
Polyacrylamides (PAMs) are synthetic polymers that bind soil particles and reduce
surface crusting, thus increasing pore space
and inltration. They can produce dramatic,
but short-lived, inltration increases, with decreased erosion. They are still too expensive
for widespread application during forest
restoration, but may be practical in highpriority areas.
4. Future Needs
4.1. Policies that Discourage
Degrading Forest Management
Practices
Government policies may increase soil erosion
from forests or they can be crafted to encourage the restoration and management of forest
landscapes that provide important goods and
ecological services without accelerating soil
loss. Policies that prevent the complete removal
of trees on the steepest slopes have the greatest impact on soil loss.
4.2. Improved Understanding of

Watershed-Scale Processes
Forest restoration programmes are usually
planned based on the attributes and objectives
of specic elds, ownership units, or forest
openings. This approach effectively assumes
that the sites are functionally isolated from
other parts of the landscape or watershed.
This can lead to problems since each part of a
landscape is continuously gaining and losing
water, nutrients, soil, organic materials, and
355
seed. Organic materials, landform, or microtopographic features control these movements

of water, nutrients, and organic materials. A
greater recognition and understanding of these
resource uxes can be used to great advantage
in forest landscape restoration.
References
Brooks, K., Folliott, P.F., Gregersen, H.M., and
Thames, J.L. 1991. Hydrology and the Management of Watersheds. Iowa State University Press,
Ames, Iowa.
Manu, A., Thurow, T.L., Juo, A.S.R., and Zanguina, I.
1999. Agroecological impacts of ve years of a
practical programme for restoration of a degraded
Sahelian watershed. In: Lal, R., ed. Integrated
Watershed Management in the Global Ecosystem.
CRC Press, New York, pp. 145163.
Morgan, R.P.C., and Rickson, R.J. 1995. Slope Stabilization and Runoff Control: A Bioengineering
Approach. E. and F.N. Spon, New York.
Toy, T.J., Foster, G.R., and Renard, K.G. 2002. Soil
Erosion: Process, Prediction, Measurement, and
Control. John Wiley and Sons, New York.
Whisenant, S.G. 1999. Repairing Damaged Wildlands: A Process-Oriented, Landscape-Scale
Approach. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.
Additional Reading
Lal, R. 1990. Soil Erosion in the Tropics: Principles
and Management. McGraw Hill, New York.
Satterlund, D.R., and Adams, P.W. 1992. Wildland
Watershed Management, 2nd ed. John Wiley and
Sons, New York.
Wu, X.B., Thurow, T.L., and Whisenant, S.G. 2000.
Fragmentation and changes in hydrologic function
of tiger bush landscapes, southwest Niger. Journal
of Ecology 88:790800.
51
Restoring Forests After Land
Abandonment
Jos M. Rey Benayas

Land that is abandoned for a number of
ecological and socioeconomic reasons can
regenerate either naturally or through management interventions.
Signicant public and private funds are
being invested in abandoned land reforestation, often without good planning.
Abandoned lands offer a huge potential for
restoration.
Restoration of abandoned land must be
viewed as an investment in ecosystem goods
and services.
1. Background and
Globally, degraded land due to agricultural
activities is estimated at about 12,400,000
km2.432 In addition, large areas of cropland and
pasture land have been abandoned during the
last few years for different ecological and
socioeconomic reasons. Ecological factors
leading to land abandonment are in many cases
ultimately the result of mismanagement at a
landscape level (e.g., unadapted agriculture and
432
356
Bot et al, 2000.
overgrazing), and include productivity loss or

the land exceeding cattle carrying capacity.
Socioeconomic factors leading to land abandonment include a loss in farmland productivity, diversion of labour toward the industrial
and service sectors, reduced subsidies for many
crops and regions, and subsidised set-aside
programmes.
These and other deforested areas can be (1)
left to undergo secondary succession or passive
restoration or (2) subjected to active restoration processes, mostly consisting of planting and
managing native shrubs and trees. In the world,
land abandonment and passive restoration
have restored much more, and at a lower cost,
than active restoration. However, active restoration is needed when the abandoned land
suffers continuous degradation (e.g., soil
erosion in dry regions), when the natural vegetation cover cannot recover in the area (e.g.,
abandoned cropland colonised by dense weeds
in the tropics), and when accelerating secondary succession is desirable (e.g., reforestation
of abandoned Mediterranean cropland). An
additional benet of active restoration is the
creation of labour associated with ecosystem
management in rural areas.
This issue is also important because public
and private funds are being invested in abandoned land reforestation. From a holistic perspective, these actions must be viewed as the
restoration of the worlds natural capital, the
services that ecosystems provide to humankind.
Thus, research is needed to optimise the
investment-benet ratio.
51. Restoring Forests After Land Abandonment
357
Figure 51.1. A plot of abandoned

agricultural land in a Mediterranean
landscape that was actively revegetated with Quercus ilex 12 years ago.
(Photo Jose M. Rey Benayas.)
2. Examples
A large number of worldwide examples of
ecosystem restoration are related to land abandonment and associated secondary succession.
The scientic and technical literature reports a
number of case studies that highlight both successes and failures. Typically, secondary succession has led to renewed functional ecosystems
in scenarios where abandoned cropland and
pastures had not been intensively used in the
past, vegetation colonisation and growth was
not limited by climate and/or soil constraints,
the abandoned land was relatively small in size
and there were remnants of natural vegetation
nearby. Some examples are related to tropical
slash-and-burn elds and paddocks that have
turned to forest, Mediterranean mountain pastures and cropland that have turned to forest or
shrubland, and abandoned rural areas in Africa
that have turned to savannah or dwarf
shrubland.
Failures are reported for abandoned lands
where the environmental conditions are
unfavourable to natural regeneration. Examples include all areas under desertication in
the arid and semiarid regions of the world, large
tropical paddocks with very compacted ground,
and abandoned tropical cropland colonised by
a dense carpet of weeds such as Saccharaum
spontaneum that impedes the establishment of
natural vegetation. For instance, seedling mortality in abandoned tropical pastures has been
found to be above 50 percent, whereas it drops
to less than 25 percent with appropriate
management.433 Active restoration is essential
where ecosystem breakdown has occurred. The
functioning of natural ecosystem processes
such as seed dispersal are key factors to address
when assessing restoration requirements. Many
moist tropical forests depend on animal dispersal (as much as 90 percent of tree species). In
the eastern rainforests of Madagascar, arboreal
lemurs are essential for forest maintenance and
regeneration. As lemur populations are decimated, most of the former rainforest regions in
Madagascar are now severely degraded, representing an arrested succession dominated by
alien species.434
2.1. Planting in EuroMediterranean Environments

In European Mediterranean environments
public funds from the European Union have
been available to encourage farmers to turn
their cropland into forest plantations (Fig.
51.1). In these ecosystems, different abiotic and
biotic factors hinder the establishment and
growth of shrubs and trees, and some research
433
434
Hooper et al, 2002.

Holloway, 2000.
358
J.M. Rey Benayas
has been devoted to study how plantation projects benet from appropriate management. The
mortality of native Quercus species seedlings
during the rst year is often above 60 percent
if nothing is done to facilitate their establishment, and around 10 percent if management is
applied.435 Further, some studies have shown
that appropriate management may provide a
rapid plot cover by the introduced seedlings
and reproductive saplings of slow-growing
species by the seventh year. For instance, it has
been reported for an experimental Q. ilex plantation in central Spain that, after 3 years of
managementarticial shading and summer
irrigationand six additional years of interrupted management, the plot cover attained by
the managed seedlings was 50 percent higher
than that attained by the unmanaged seedlings;
additionally, 15 percent of the managed
seedlings produced acorns, whereas only 1.5
percent of the unmanaged seedlings were
capable of producing seeds.436
2.2. Passive and Active Restoration

in Mosaic Rainforest
Landscapes of Latin America
Landscape mosaics are typical of many rainforest areas of Latin America, consisting primarily of a mix of cleared areas, secondary
forest, and limited residual patches of primary
forest. A portion of the cleared area is agriculturally marginal, and in many cases is being
abandoned. Natural regeneration of forest
cover from neighbouring seed sources on this
land is typically rapid. For instance, in cloud
forest landscapes in Oaxaca (Mexico), it has
been reported that abandoned paddocks attain,
after 35 years, an average of 63 percent of the
tree basal area that is characteristic of the
mature forests in the region.
However, species diversity after natural
regeneration is usually low, with stands typically dominated by a few fast growing pioneer
species. Natural regeneration of a species mix
more typical of a primary forest will only occur
over the long term. Planting seedlings of inte435
436
Rey Benayas, 1998.

Rey Benayas and Camacho, 2004.
rior forest species after land abandonment

could sharply accelerate the process of restoration of complex communities. Pioneer stands or
monocultural plantations may be enriched with
seedlings of late-successional animal-dispersed
trees, or initial plantings could be done with
mixes of late-successional and pioneer species.
Active ecological research related to this topic
is being undertaken in a few places such as the
Highlands of Chiapas (Mexico). There, broadleaved tree species have declined because they
are intensively harvested by the local Mayan
communities for rewood, and pines are
consequently in expansion. Seedlings of the
broad-leaved trees are being introduced at the
fringe between the pine-dominated forests and
clear cuts, with survival rates higher than 50
percent after 3 years due to the positive effect
of pines on the introduced seedlings. However,
pines may inhibit establishment of native vegetation in some environments.
3. Outline of Tools
The tools at hand for favouring restoration of
abandoned land are a mix of ecological and
socioeconomical actions (and sometimes inaction) and techniques. Passive restoration is by
far the main force that turns abandoned land
into original or healthy ecosystems.437 It has
the advantage of being cheap. On the other
hand, the disadvantages include that it can
be very slow in low productive ecosystems,
involves few people (no labour is needed), and
may turn into a more degraded land or autosuccession loops. Secondary succession can be
aided by simply eliminating grazing in certain
areas after agreement with local users and land
managers. Fencing can be used for this purpose,
although this can add substantially to the cost
in some situations.
3.1. Active Restoration Techniques

A number of techniques have been proposed in
active restoration programmes in those parts of
the world where shortage of water availability
437
Running, 2003.
51. Restoring Forests After Land Abandonment
is a major limiting factor for seedling establishment of native shrubs and trees. These techniques include articial shading, irrigation in
the dry season, elimination of herb competition, use of gels that absorb and very slowly
release water, ground preparation to increase
inltration, and microtopography modication
to canalise run-off toward the reforested plots.
When nutrients are limiting, manure and compost from agricultural, industrial, or sewage
plants residues have been utilised. Another
technique that has successfully been used is
planting the seedling below the canopy of
naturally established nurse shrubs, which
provide an ameliorated microenvironment for
the introduced seedlings. Many of these techniques are discussed in more detail in other
chapters of this book. It should be noted that
the choice of technique will need to be determined by the climatic, biophysical, and socioeconomic conditions.
3.2. Socioeconomic Tools

Socioeconomic tools can also be passive and
active. In a free market economy, the ratio
between benets and costs of livestock or agricultural production has triggered the abandonment of large extensions of land throughout the
world. In other cases, removal of perverse
subsidiessuch as elements of the Common
Agricultural Policy in Europe that has encouraged farming on uneconomic and marginal
landscould help stimulate natural regeneration. Active nancial tools that foster abandonment of livestock grazing and agricultural
production also exist.
An innovative and promising tool is payment
for the environmental services that forests
provide to humans, which favours forest conservation rst and encourages forest restoration second. This programme is already widely
applied in Costa Rica (see Payment for Environmental Services and Restoration).
Another tool is to subsidise set-aside programmes for agricultural lands and to convert
those into forest plantations or restore the
natural vegetation. This tool has been widely
applied in the European Union (EU) Mediterranean countries. However, its success has been
359
limited by the fact that the subsidies have

encouraged some landowners to plough and
reforest lands that had already been abandoned
and were undergoing passive restoration.
Further socioeconomic toolswhich are still
very marginalare related to the links between
active restoration and environmental education and local sustainable development. For
instance, the reforestation of vast extensions of
abandoned land or the enrichment of secondary forests in developing countries requires the
creation of a labour force and small industries
such as specialised nurseries.
4. Future Needs
4.1. Evaluating Ecosystem Values
Before initiating any restoration programme
after land abandonment, it is necessary to
answer this question: Active or passive restoration? The answer necessarily goes through an
evaluation of costs and benets of the various
options. We must never forget that the environmental benets that humans receive from
functional ecosystems or the loss of these benets is part of the balance. We need better
knowledge and awareness of what could
enhance natural succession after abandonment,
and the temporal terms, in various ecosystems.
Natural regeneration should be properly monitored and mapped by eld work and remote
sensing and geographical information system
(GIS) techniques. We must also take into
account the potential social benets of active
restoration, particularly in developing countries. There is a need for scientic research to
correctly assess such benets.
4.2. Rethinking the Concept

of Reforestation
It seems that we need a different concept of
reforestation of abandoned cropland where
plant production is limited as it occurs, for
example, in dry Mediterranean regions. Nowadays, these reforestation efforts are based on
extensive plantations of aligned trees, often of
exotic species, that provide articial monocul-
360
J.M. Rey Benayas
tures that are rarely managed. Restoration

ecology and forest landscape restoration
present more integrated approaches to restoration. After land abandonment, the reforestation approach should be replaced by little,
dense, diverse, strategically placed, and wisely
managed reforested patches. These patches
would actually be islands of functional ecosystems in a sea of intensively used or abandoned
land, thus being compatible with other land
uses (e.g., livestock grazing or crop production)
and passive restoration in their surroundings.
The islands would act as sources and traps
of propagules of different species of plants
and animals since many organisms would nd
refuge and food. These biodiversity reservoirs
could function as nuclei for passive restoration
of large extensions in the world. Such experiences need to be started rapidly and their
lessons shared and replicated widely.
References
Bot, A.J., Nachtergaele, F.O., and Young, A. 2000.
Land Resource Potential and Constraints at
Regional and Country Levels. Land and Water
Development Division, FAO, Rome, Italy (available on line at ftp://ftp.fao.org/agl/agll/docs/
wsr.pdf).
Holloway, L. 2000. Catalysing Rainforest Restoration in Madagascar. In: Lorenco, W.R., and
Goodman, S.M., eds. Diversity and Endemism in

Madagascar. Orstom Editions, Paris.
Hooper, E., Condit, R., and Legendre, P. 2002.
Responses of 20 native tree species to reforestation strategies for abandoned farmland in
Panama. Ecological Applications 12:16261641.
Rey Benayas, J.M. 1998. Growth and mortality in
Quercus ilex L. seedlings after irrigation and
articial shading in Mediterranean set-aside agricultural lands. Annals of Forest Sciences 55:
801807.
Rey Benayas, J.M., and Camacho, A. 2004. Performance of Quercus ilex saplings planted in abandoned Mediterranean cropland after long-term
interruption of their management. Forest Ecology
and Management 194:223233.
Running, S.W. 2003. Climate-driven increases in
global terrestrial net primary production from
1982 to 1999. Science 300:15601563.
Additional Reading
Bakker, J.P., van Andel, J., and van der Maarel, E.
1998. Plant species diversity and restoration
ecology: introduction. Applied Vegetation Science
1:38.
Perrow, M.R., and Davy, A.J. 2002. Handbook of
Ecological Restoration. Vol. 2. Restoration in
Practice. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Temperton, V.M., Hobbs, R.J., Nuttle, T., and Halle,
S. 2004. Assembly Rules and Restoration Ecology.
Bridging the Gap Between Theory and Practice.
Island Press, Washington.
52
Restoring Overlogged Tropical Forests
Cesar Sabogal and Robert Nasi

Overlogged forests are degraded but nevertheless important. They may continue to be
a source of timber and supply an important
amount of forest products, particularly for
local people whose livelihoods depend on
their extraction.
One aspect of restoration would be to
prevent adding more overlogged areas by
implementing sound logging, silvicultural,
and management practices.
There is an urgent need to appropriately disseminate the existing strategies, approaches,
and techniques that are most appropriate for
forest restoration of overlogged forests.
1. Background and
logging system (Box 52.1), the intensity and frequency of timber extraction, and the quality of
supervision and control. The amount of damage
sustained by residual stands increases generally
with the size of the machinery used and with
increasing volumes of timber harvested.
Logging operations inevitably impact soils,
stream ows, remaining vegetation, fauna, and
biodiversity in general,439 creating a more
heterogeneous structure with patches of felling
gaps, skid trails, etc. (Box 52.2). Soil impacts and
damage to the residual forest all increase with
increasing logging intensity. High extraction
rates, by creating big canopy openings, favour
fast-growing pioneer species or undesirable,
weedy species (such as vines) and induce desiccating conditions. Moreover, large openings
are subject to invasion by lianas that can be an
obstacle to tree regeneration, and in heavily
logged forests such openness also increases re
risks and propagation (particularly during long
periods of drought). High extraction rates also
result in a depleted residual stand that will not
438
1.1. Logged-Over Forests and

Logging Impacts
Poor logging practices using heavy machinery
are a prominent reason for the degradation of
tropical forests. The term overlogged forest438 is
usually applied to this situation.
Logged over forests show a wide range of
conditions according to the degree of direct or
indirect disturbance, which depends on the
Overlogged forests in Asia are dened as natural

primary or older secondary natural forests that have been
badly damaged by overcutting and poor logging methods
and have resulted in impoverished and ecologically unstable stands. If left untreated, these forests are unable to
restore their original state within a reasonable period of
time, or even to recover enough to provide the normal
services of a forest (Banerjee, 1995).
439
Bruijnzeel and Critchley, 1994; Fimbel et al., 2001;
Frumhoff, 1995; Grieser Johns, 1997; Haworth, 1999; Putz et
al., 2002; Stadtmller, 1994; Thomson, 2001; Weidelt and
Banaag, 1982; Woods, 1989.
361
362
C. Sabogal and R. Nasi
Box 52.1. Logging Systems in Tropical Forests

Two main logging systems are usually
distinguished:
Monocyclic logging represents the removal of up to 100 percent of the commercially valuable stocking from a forest at
relatively long intervals. The interval
between harvesting operations is typically
equal to the maturation period of the main
species of trees felled, the so-called rotation
period, which may be as long as 60 to 80
years or more. Because monocyclic logging
removes not only mature but also semimature trees, a relatively large proportion of
the forest may be affected. The volume of
timber removed during monocyclic operations may be as high as 120 m3/hectare in
certain Southeast Asian forests, although
more commonly the harvested volumes tend
to converge around a value of about 60 m3/
hectare. The result of such intense logging is
the creation of relatively large gaps in the
canopy, stimulating light-demanding species
in the regrowth.
Polycyclic logging is the selective removal
of only the largest individuals of desirable
species. The objective is to wait for a suf-
cient number of trees to reach maturity,

and then to remove these alone. Compared
with monocyclic logging, fewer trees and
a lower volume of timber is harvested,
but the intervals between harvests are
shorter. In some polycyclic systems, such
as the CELOS (Centre for Agricultural
Research in Surinam) system developed for
Surinam, or the Tebang Pilih system advocated in Indonesia, this interval may be as
short as 20 to 25 years. Volumes of wood
removed are typically 20 to 30 m3/hectare per
coupe.
Monocyclic logging inevitably causes
more disturbances to the forest canopy and
the soil surface than polycyclic systems. Typically, for every tree that is logged, a second
is destroyed and a third is damaged beyond
recovery. Under unimproved, standard
management practices, polycyclic logging
may cause damage to 15 to 35 percent of the
remaining trees, whereas under monocyclic
logging this gure may increase to 40 to
60 percent.
(Adapted from Bruijnzeel and Critchley, 1994.)
Box 52.2. Biodiversity Impacts of Logging on Tropical Forests

The most severe impacts at the landscape
level result from indirect consequences of
logging such as increased access to remote
areas, fragmentation, and altered re
regimes. Changes in the size, spatial distribution, and connectivity of habitat patches
alter species distribution patterns, forest
turnover rates, and hydrologic processes.
Most ecosystem-level impacts are a direct
consequence of logging activities. The structural impacts of logging change the relative
proportions of life forms and biogeochemical stocks, as well as nutrient and hydrologic
cycling, productivity, and energy ows.At the
community level, logging can substantially
change the characteristics, composition, and
trophic structure of forest stands. The most

obvious impact is the change in proportions
of successional stages in forest stands. Key
ecological processes such as pollination, herbivory, seed dispersal, and predation are all
affected by logging especially when it is
more intensive. The most obvious specieslevel impact of logging is on the abundance
and age/size distribution of harvested and
damaged trees. The genetic component of
biodiversity is likely to be the most sensitive
of all components to logging because of
reductions in effective population size and
interruptions in gene ow.
(Source: Putz et al. 2002)
52. Restoring Overlogged Tropical Forests
be able to recover an acceptable timber yield

within a reasonable and economically profitable harvesting cycle period.440 The extraction
pressure on a set of high-value species may
cause a dysgenic trend (removal of large trees
with each cut leaving genetically inferior trees
for future crops and seed sources).441
Other dramatic, indirect impacts are associated with logging wherever social pressures
(e.g., by colonists) and institutional weaknesses
(e.g., law enforcement) prevail. Under these
conditions logged-over forests are frequently
subject to further disturbance, leading to
increased degradation or even conversion to
other land uses. Land invasions, illegal logging,
poaching, and re are amongst the most serious
threats faced by forest owners/managers. This
tragedy is at the crux of most of the debate on
sustainable forestry in tropical regions and will
certainly last for a while.
1.2. Why Restore Logged-Over

Forests?
Overlogged forests are degraded but nevertheless important. They may continue to be a
source of timber and supply an important
amount of forest products, particularly for local
people whose livelihoods depend on their
extraction. Such forests may still provide
special biodiversity conservation services or be
important for other environmental services
(e.g., water, carbon). With alarming rates of
landscape fragmentation, these remnant forest
resourcesmore and more frequently found as
patches of logged-over/degraded primary
forestsare becoming critical components of
restoration strategies. Logged-over forests may
also represent a valuable means of stabilising
small-scale colonists in agricultural frontier
areas.
Objectives for restoration of overlogged
forests must be set by societal demand and
encompass both social and ecological goals.
They will depend on the degree of degradation,
the desired future condition as dened by the
landowner or land user, and the (biophysical

and socioeconomic) context at the landscape
level. The restoration work can either emphasise the protection functions for biodiversity
recovery and other environmental services
(e.g., water, carbon uptake) or privilege the
potential for production functions of the
ecosystem (safety net functions, commercial
production, or multiple-use) or both.
1.3. Improving Logging Practices

One aspect of restoration would be to prevent
adding more overlogged areas by implementing
sound logging, silvicultural, and management
practices. Good planning and careful implementation of timber harvesting operations
substantially contribute to reduce the negative
impact of bad logging. Reduced-impact logging
(RIL), a term now widely used, encompasses
the implementation of a series of pre- and
postlogging guidelines designed to protect
advanced regeneration (i.e., seedlings, saplings,
poles, and small trees) from injury, to minimise
soil damage, to prevent unnecessary damage to
nontarget species (e.g., wildlife and nontimber
forest products), and to protect critical ecosystem processes (e.g., hydrology and carbon
sequestration). The Model Code of Forest
Harvesting Practices published by the United
Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation442
has been widely used as a reference to elaborate similar sets of harvesting guidelines.
The RIL techniques constitute a substantial
step toward sustainable management. A further
improvement in RIL is the integration of silvicultural principles, guidelines, and practices.443
These techniques should in particular aim to
keep extraction rates below an acceptable
threshold compatible with timber yield capability, limit the impact of harvesting on tree
species diversity and composition, and maintain timber species populations by reducing
the impact of logging on their ecology.444
442
440
441
Applegate et al., 2004.

ITTO, 2002.
363
443
444
Dykstra and Heinrich, 1996.

Wadsworth, 1997.
Sist et al., 2003.
364
2. Examples
2.1. Restoration of Degraded
Forests by Enrichment Planting
Overlogging and forest res, or combinations of
the two, have created millions of hectares of
medium to heavily disturbed forests in many
parts of Southeast Asia.
One of the main technical approaches for
restoration in these forests has been the establishment of enrichment plantings, either in lines
or in gaps. Line planting has been used if the
surrounding trees are small (10 m). The gap
planting method is especially suitable when the
surrounding trees are taller (>10 m). In practice,
line and gap planting methods using articial or
natural regeneration complement each other.
In Indonesia, where degraded forests resulting from unsustainable management and wild
res account for over 20 million hectares, the
International MOFEC (Ministry of Forestry
and Estate Crops)Tropenbos Kalimantan
Project developed in 1987 a research programme based on indigenous Dipterocarpaceae
species aiming at rehabilitating these heavily
disturbed forests.444a Line planting experiments
were conducted in the Wanariset Research
Forest (East Kalimantan), mainly consisting of
enrichment plantings with dipterocarps. Several
techniques were employed for the production
of planting stock, including seedling production
in nurseries from seeds, wildlings collected in
the forest, and seedlings derived from cuttings
raised in the nursery. Vegetative propagation of
dipterocarp species, especially stem cuttings
production, gave promising results and is being
used for large-scale plantations, for instance,
Meranti (Shorea spp.) plantations with stem
cuttings in Long Nah, East Kalimantan.
Other practical experiences with enrichment
planting were conducted in Banjarmasin, South
Kalimantan, under the Reforestation and
Tropical Forest Management Project nanced
by the Finnish International Development
Agency.445
2.2. Rehabilitation of Log Landings

and Skid Trails446
Unplanned logging using heavy machinery
causes excessive damage to the soil, watercourses, and vegetation, particularly through
the opening up of harvesting infrastructure
(roads, log landings, and skid trails). The rehabilitation of most impacted areas has been
attempted in different ways. In heavily logged
dipterocarp forests, skid trails and log landings
represent a signicant proportion (up to 40
percent) of the total area. This level of disturbance also affects the recovery of the residual
stand, prolonging the next cutting cycle from
2030 to 4050 years.
In Sabah, Malaysia, two rehabilitation techniques were tried for planting dipterocarps on
log landings and skid trails: direct open planting of seedlings, and planting a nurse crop with
subsequent underplanting of dipterocarps. For
open planting, in general species with drought
and heat tolerance and resistance to pests and
diseases should be used.The major drawback of
this option is that the dipterocarp seedlings
grow too slowly to provide protection from
erosion or to rehabilitate the damaged soil.
Therefore, the technique is most suitable for
skid trails where anking vegetation provides
some remnant canopy and where natural
regeneration of pioneer tree species along the
skid edges provides organic matter and helps
ameliorate the soil.
An alternative to open planting, especially
for large open areas, is to plant fast-growing
native pioneer trees on the site rst and then
underplant with dipterocarp seedlings. Pioneer
trees are better adapted to the open conditions
of degraded sites, and they grow much faster
than dipterocarps. Once the dipterocarp
seedlings have established, the nurse trees
should be thinned to allow increasing amounts
of light to reach the seedlings.
Using this system has several advantages: (1)
the nurse crop trees are fast-growing, allowing
them to compete well with vines and climbing
bamboo, and reduce soil erosion; (2) rapid
444a
Effendi et al. 2001.

Adjers et al., 1995; Korpelainen et al., 1995; Tuomela
et al., 1996.
445
446
Source: Nussbaum and Hoe, 1996.
growth and production of organic matter will

improve the soils physical and chemical properties, particularly if nitrogen-xing species are
used; (3) as the dipterocarp seedlings are
planted under a partially established canopy, a
wider range of species can be used, and mortality due to heat and water stress will be
reduced.
3. Outline of Tools
Restoration interventions to attain the dened
objectives may range from simply protecting
the site from further disturbances (e.g., illegal
logging, re) and allowing natural regeneration
and successional processes to restore ecosystem
functionality, to intensive silvicultural practices
to improve species composition and commercial productivity, and even soil and water
conservation measures to prevent and control
erosion.
Most tools and technologies needed for
restoration of logged-over (and also secondary)
forests can be found in the extensive literature
on silviculture and forest management.447
Four broad steps may be considered for
restoration: secure protection of the area; plan
for restoration; implement restoration interventions; and monitor and evaluate them. The
sections below mainly focus on some of the
tools and technologies for planning and
implementation.
3.1. Secure Protection of the Area

A precondition of investing in restoration work
is to secure the protection of the area against
further undesired disturbance (illegal logging,
poaching, re, grazing, etc.). This entails an
assessment of the local conditions (e.g.,
exploitation practices and consequences, past
and existing agreements) and the analysis of its
outcomes, as well as the capacity to effectively
control or reduce stress and risk factors. There
is an ample suite of participatory techniques
365
(approaches, tools, and methods) that can be

used for this purpose.448 The ITTO restoration
guidelines449 also provide some principles and
recommended actions (see principles 8, 11, 12,
15, 16, 20, and 22).
As a result of the eld assessment, some preventive or corrective measures will need to be
put in place. Most critical in many situations are
re prevention and control measures. Bad
logging creates favourable conditions for re
outbreaks (e.g., accumulation of biomass, invasion by weed species, and desiccation of organic
soil matter, all of which can increase re risks).
Other threats frequently result from external
forces such as illegal extraction activities, invasion by settlers, and the expansion of agricultural activities. Fire prevention and control are
therefore critical for any sustainable use of the
area to be restored. These involve a range of
active and passive measures, including consultation and training of local people, buffer zones
of green rebreaks (especially comprising
species valued by the local people), and systems
for early detection and suppression. (More
information on restoration and res can be
found in Forest Landscape Restoration After
Fires.)
3.2. Plan For Restoration

Protection measures and restoration interventions should be adequately planned. Drawing
up a medium-term management/restoration
plan may be necessary.
A management plan requires information
such as an inventory of the standing stock and
its condition, including composition, size, and
stem quality. An assessment of the regeneration
(seedlings, saplings, and advanced growth of
marketable or preferred timber and nontimber
species) should be considered. Information on
nontimber forest products (NTFPs) can be
collected as part of this inventory. Important
for planning (zonation and mapping purposes)
is also the systematic assessment of the physical conditions affecting the restoration work
447
Useful references for tropical forests include Dupuy,

1998; FAO, 1998, 2000; Higman et al., 1999; Hutchinson,
1988; Lamprecht, 1989; Peters, 1996; Thomson, 2001; WyattSmith, 1963.
448
For instance; Carter; 1996; Jackson and Ingles, 1998;

and Shell et al., 2002.
449
ITTO, 2002.
366
(watercourses, topography, soils, vegetation

types, etc.).
The advanced regeneration of current and
potential commercial or useful tree species
should be the rst target for interventions. To
guide decisions on silvicultural intervention a
simple assessment method called diagnostic
sampling can be used. Diagnostic sampling is a
rapid and inexpensive method intended to estimate the potential productivity of a forest stand
and decide whether treatment is necessary or
not, and if necessary, whether it can be delayed
or not, and what type of treatment should be
given. Steps and eld procedures for using this
method can be found in Hutchinson450 and
FAO.451
For monitoring purposes, permanent plots
or continuous forest inventory plots should be
established in order to provide the necessary
baseline data of forest growth and response to
the interventions.
Based on the medium-term plan, an annual
plan (at the compartment level) is usually done.
This is an operational tool for guiding the
implementation of the planned activities. It may
entail measures for erosion control and/or to
protect/enhance biodiversity (of particular vegetation types or species), demarcation of riverine corridors to be retained for hydrological
reasons or of wildlife corridors, etc.
3.3. Implement Silvicultural

Interventions
Silvicultural interventions are generally necessary to overcome the relative depletion of commercial tree species, to compensate for the slow
growth rate, and to ensure a future commercial
timber value of the forest.452 Options that can
be applied, depending on the condition of the
forest stand and the objectives (what major
products are expected), include improvement
treatments, treatments to stimulate natural
regeneration, enrichment planting, and direct
planting.
450
451
452
Hutchinson, 1991.
FAO, 1998.
ITTO, 2002.
Working with preexisting natural regeneration is the cheapest and safest way to recover
the original forest, provided there is plenty of
the desirable (e.g., current and potential commercial) species. This is usually the case with
forests that have only been lightly degraded
through uncontrolled timber exploitation. In
more degraded conditions, however, the lack of
adequate regeneration or an uneven distribution over the area entails difcult silvicultural
work, making it necessary to resort to more
costly interventions.
Some examples of interventions are given
below. The interested reader will nd more
detailed information in the various dedicated
chapters of this volume (see Section XI, A
Selection of Tools that Return Trees to the
Landscape).
3.3.1. Improvement Treatments

Improvement treatments (or tending operations) basically aim to provide more space for
trees of desirable species. This is done rst
through the application of an operation called
overstorey removal, by which overmature,
defective noncommercial individuals (called
relics) are removed (usually by poison-girdling)
from the upper levels of the forest canopy. A
second phase consists of liberation thinning, a
treatment that releases young growth from the
competition from commercially less desirable
species. The prescriptions for liberation may
easily be altered to accommodate changes in
market demand or alternative management
requirements (e.g., maintain keystone food
resources for animals).
Timber stand improvement (TSI) is a wellknown silvicultural treatment used by preference in dipterocarp forests. Usually conducted
5 to 10 years after logging, it basically involves
the cutting or killing of unwanted trees and
climbers to improve growing conditions for the
remaining trees and species composition of the
stand. A detailed description of procedures is
found in Weidelt and Banaag.453
453
Weidelt and Banaag, 1982.
3.3.2. Treatments to Stimulate

Natural Regeneration
The lack of advanced regeneration (or its
unsatisfactory spatial distribution), particularly
of the desirable species, is a main constraint
usually found in more heavily disturbed
forests. If the objective is to restore populations
of these species, treatments to stimulate
their natural regeneration thus become a priority as part of the post-logging interventions.
3.3.3. Enrichment Planting

Enrichment planting (also known as underplanting) is dened as the introduction of
valuable species on degraded forests without
the elimination of valuable individuals already
present. Enrichment of logged-over forests may
be appropriate in areas where natural regeneration of desired species is insufcient or soil
characteristics are not conducive to other uses,
or even when the interest is to introduce highvalue species that do not regenerate easily, keystone food species or even fruit trees or other
species with commercial or local value.454
3.3.4. Direct Planting

Direct tree planting in logged-over forests is
sometimes used for rehabilitating localised
areas that were more heavily impacted by
harvesting infrastructure (roads, log landings).
These patches of trees or shrubs are planted
primarily for erosion control (e.g., slope stabilisation). Planting in log landings and other open
areas for growing commercial trees is another
option.
4. Future Needs
We probably know enough about the general
impacts of timber harvesting on tropical forests,
and also about the main courses of action for
restoring these ecosystems. We certainly need
to know more, but above all we need to apply
454
Lamprecht, 1989; Montagnini, 1997; Weaver, 1993.
367
what is already known and learn as we go along.

This entails the need to substantially increase
efforts to appropriately disseminate the strategies, approaches, and techniques most appropriate for forest restoration. Awareness-raising,
training, and technical assistance are preconditions to the actual application of restoration in
practice.
There are many challenges posed to improve
restoration of overlogged forests. Some of the
most pressing are as follows:
Analyses of nancial and environmental
costs and benets of restoration options
and their effects on forest productivity,
species recovery, biodiversity, and carbon
sequestration
Development of enrichment planting guidelines that are species- and site-specic
Development of cost-effective re control
measures with minimal biodiversity impacts
Development of an adequate and supportive legal framework for overlogged forest
restoration.
References
Adjers, G., Hadengganan, S., Kuusipalo, J., Nuryanto,
K., and Vesa, L. 1995. Enrichment planting of
dipterocarps in logged-over secondary forests:
effect of width, direction and maintenance method
of planting line on selected Shorea species. Forest
Applegate, G., Putz, F.E., and Snook, L.K. 2004. Who
pays for and who benets from improved timber
harvesting practices in the tropics? Lessons
learned and information gaps. CIFOR, Bogor,
Indonesia.
Banerjee, A.K. 1995. Rehabilitation of degraded
forests in Asia. World Bank Technical Paper
Number 270. World Bank, Washington, DC.
Bruijnzeel, L.A., and Critchley, W.R.S. 1994. Environmental impacts of logging moist tropical
forests. International Hydrological Programme/
IHP Humid Tropics Programme Series No. 7.
UNESCOIHPMAB. Paris, France.
Carter, J. 1996. Recent Approaches to Participatory
Forest Resource Assessment. Rural Development
Forestry Study Guide 2. ODI, London.
Dupuy, B. 1998. Bases pour une Sylviculture en Fort
Dense Tropicale Humide Africaine. Document 4.
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Projet FORAFRI, CIRAD, CIFOR, Montpellier,

France.
Dykstra, D., and Heinrich, R. 1996. FAOModel
code of forest harvesting practice. Food and
Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations.
FAO, Rome.
Effendi, R., Priadjati, A., Omom, M., Rayan, M.,
Tolkamp, W., and Nasry, E. 2001. Rehabilitation of
Wanariset secondary forest (East Kalimantan)
through dipterocarp species line plantings. In:
Hillegers, P.J.M., and Iongh, H.H., eds.The Balance
Between Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Use of Tropical Rain Forests. Tropenbos
International, Wageningen, The Netherlands, pp.
3144.
FAO. 1998. Guidelines for the Management of Tropical Forests1. The Production of Wood. FAO
Forestry Paper 135. Rome.
FAO. 2000. Management of Natural Forests of Dry
Tropical Zones. FAO Conservation Guide 32.
Rome. Prepared by R. Bellefontaine, A. Gaston
and Y. Petrucci.
Fimbel, R., Grajal, A., and Robinson, J., eds. 2001.
Conserving Wildlife in Managed Tropical Forests.
Columbia University Press, New York.
Frumhoff, P.C. 1995. Conserving wildlife in tropical
forests managed for timber. BioScience 45(7):
456464.
Grieser Johns, A. 1997. Timber Production and Biodiversity Conservation in Tropical Rain Forests.
Cambridge Studies in Applied Ecology and
Resource Management. Cambridge University
Haworth, J. 1999. Life After Logging: The Impacts
of Commercial Timber Extraction in Tropical
Rainforests. Friends of the Earth Trust,
London.
Higman, S., Bass, S., Judd, N., Mayers, J., and
Nussbaum, R. 1999. The Sustainable Forestry
Handbook. A Practical Guide for Tropical Forest
Managers on Implementing New Standards.
IIEDSGS. Earthscan Publications Ltd., London.
Hutchinson, I.D. 1988. Points of departure for silviculture in humid tropical forests. Commonwealth
Forestry Review 67(3): 223229.
Hutchinson, I.D. 1991. Diagnostic sampling to orient
silviculture and management in natural tropical
forest. Commonwealth Forestry Review 70(3):
113132.
International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO).
2002. ITTO guidelines for the restoration, management and rehabilitation of degraded and secondary tropical forests. ITTO Policy Development
Series No. 13. ITTO, Yokohama, Japan.
Jackson, W.J., and Ingles, A.W. 1998. Participatory

Techniques For Community Forestry. A Field
Manual. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK and World Wide Fund for Nature,
Gland, Switzerland.
Korpelainen, H., Adjers, G., Kuusipalo, J., Nuryanto,
K., and Otsamo, A. 1995. Protability of rehabilitation of overlogged dipterocarp forest: a case
study from South Kalimantan, Indonesia. Forest
Lamprecht, H. 1989. Silviculture in the Tropics. Tropical Forest Ecosystems and Their Tree Species
Possibilities and Methods for Their Long-Term
Utilization. GTZ, Eschborn, Germany.
Montagnini, F. 1997. Enrichment planting in overexploited subtropical forests of the Paranaense
region of Misiones, Argentina. Forest Ecology and
Nussbaum, R., and Hoe, A.L. 1996. Rehabilitation of
degraded sites in logged-over forest using dipterocarps. In: Schulte, A., and Schne, D., eds. Dipterocarp Forest Ecosystems. Towards Sustainable
Management. World Scientic Publ., Singapore,
pp. 446463.
Peters, C.M. 1996. The Ecology and Management of
Non-Timber Forest Resources. World Bank Technical Paper Number 322. Washington, DC.
Putz, F.E., Redford, K.H., Robinson, J.G., Fimbel, R.,
and Blate, G.M. 2002. Biodiversity conservation in
the context of tropical forest management. The
World Bank, Environment Department Papers,
Paper No. 75. Washington, DC.
Sheil, D., et al. 2002. Exploring biological diversity,
environment and locals peoples perspectives
in forest landscapes. Methods for a multidisciplinary landscape assessment. CIFOR, Bogor,
Indonesia.
Sist, P., Fimbel, R., Nasi, R., Sheil, D., and Chevallier,
M.-H. 2003. Sustainable management of mixed
dipterocarp forests needs more ecological rules
than a minimum diameter for harvesting. Environmental Conservation 30(4):364374.
Stadtmller, T. 1994. Impacto hidrolgico del manejo
forestal de bosques naturales tropicales: medidas
como mitigarlo. Una revisin bibliogrca.
CATIE, Proyecto silvicultura de Bosques Naturales, Turrialba, Costa Rica.
Thomson, L. 2001. Management of natural forests for
conservation of forest genetic resources. In:
FAO/DFSC/IPGRI, Forest Genetic Resources
Conservation and Management. Vol. 2: In
Managed Natural Forests and Protected Areas
(In Situ). International Plant Genetic Resources
Institutte, Rome pp. 1344.

Tuomela, K., Kuusipalo, J., Vesa, L., Nuryanto, K.,
Sagala, A.P.S., and Adjers, G. 1996. Growth of
dipterocarp seedlings in articial gaps: an
experiment in a logged-over rainforest in South
Kalimantan, Indonesia. Forest Ecology and
Management (81):95100.
Wadsworth, F.H. 1997. Forest Production for Tropical America. USDA Forest Service. Agriculture
Handbook 710. USDA, Washington, DC.
Weaver, P.L. 1993. Secondary forest management. In:
Parrotta, J.A., and Kanashiro, M., eds. Management and Rehabilitation of Degraded Lands and
Secondary Forests in Amazonia. Proceedings of an
International Symposium. Santarem, Para, Brazil,
1822 April 1993, International Institute of Tropical Forestry, USDA Forest Service, and UNESCO
Man and the Biosphere Programme. Rio Piedras,
Puerto Rico and Paris, pp. 117128.
Weidelt, H.-J., and Banaag, V.S. 1982. Aspects of
Management and Silviculture of Philippine Dipterocarp Forests. PhilippinesGerman Rain Forest
Development Project. GTZ, Eschborn, Germany.
Woods, P. 1989. Effects of logging, drought, and re
on structure and composition of tropical forests in
Sabah, Malaysia. Biotropica 21:290298.
Wyatt-Smith, J. 1963. Manual of Malayan silviculture
for inland forests. Malayan Forest Record No. 23,
part III.
369
Additional Reading
Hutchinson, I.D. 1996. Techniques for silviculture
and management in natural tropical forests, logged
and secondary. In: Parrotta, J.A., and Kanashiro,
M., eds. Management and Rehabilitation of
Degraded Lands and Secondary Forests in
Amazonia. Proceedings of an International Symposium. Santarem, Para, Brazil, 1822 April 1993,
International Institute of Tropical Forestry, USDA
Forest Service, and UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Program. Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico and
Paris, pp. 142152.
Louman, B., Quirs, D., Nilsson, M., eds. 2001.
Silvicultura de Bosques Latifoliados Hmedos
en Amrica Central. CATIE, Turrialba, Costa
Rica. Serie tcnica: Manual tcnico/CATIE no.
46.
Weaver, P.L. 1987. Enrichment plantings in tropical
America. In: Figueroa, J.C., Wadsworth, F.H.,
and Branham, S., eds. Management of the
Forests of Tropical America: Prospects and
Technologies. Proceedings of a Conference. San
Juan, Puerto Rico, September 2227, 1986, pp.
259278.
53
Open-Cast Mining Reclamation
Jos Manuel Nicolau Ibarra and Mariano Moreno de las Heras
In addition to science, imagination is needed to see

the potential of the land and to relate it to the need
of the local region.
Bradshaw, 1988

Application of an inadequate conceptual
framework is often behind the failure of
mining reclamation projects, including
insufcient understanding of reference ecosystems, short-term planning, and insufcient consideration of contingencies.
Cooperation between mining companies and
environmental institutions is necessary to
integrate reclaimed areas into conservation
programmes at a regional scale.
Good erosion models for reclaimed areas as
tools for land-form design have been developed.
One major area in need of improvement is
the application of laws that require rehabilitation of mined sites.
1. Background and
Human activities involving major soil removal,
such as open-cast mining, urban development,
civil works, and so on, are the rst source of sed-
370
iment reaching the oceans via rivers. At a local

scale, mining impacts on biodiversity, water
quality, and land use are frequently very high.
Mining is one of the anthropic activities
causing some of the most dramatic disturbances on nature. In fact, there is a positive
feed-back interaction between nonenergetic
and energetic mineral extraction, which also
contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. Technology for mining reclamation has been widely
developed in the last two decades for most
regions of the world. However, in practice, most
of the reclaimed lands have achieved poor
results.455
Application of an inadequate conceptual
framework is often behind the failure of
mining reclamation projects. There are two
types of driving forces in mining reclamation:
determinism and contingency.456 Usually only
deterministic processes are considered. In addition, reclaimed areas must be recognised as
open ecosystems interacting with their surrounding environment. A conceptual model
including its practical consequences on mining
reclamation planning is shown in Figure 53.1.
This model assumes that change more than
equilibrium is the essence of nature, following
the new paradigm in ecology.457
Reclamation success depends on several
contingent or circumstantial events, which are
often unpredictable: (1) initial conditions
455
456
457
Haigh, 2000.
Pickett et al, 2001.
Kolasa and Pickett, 1991.
53. Open-Cast Mining Reclamation
371
NATURAL PERTURBATIONS: droughts /frost/ pests/

extreme rainfall events/ ...
HUMAN CONTINGENCIES:
- Modification/intermittence
of mining operations
changes in reclamation
works and plan.
- Mistakes in the
performance of reclamation
works.
- Changes in environmental
rules and/or policies)
SURROUNDING
ECOSYSTEMS AND PEOPLE:
- Runoff and sediment flows.
- Sources of propagules.
- Herbivorism.
- Grazing, hunting, land uses
RECLAMATION PLANNING
P
P
ENVIRONMENTAL
LIMITING FACTORS
- Soil physical constraints
(texture, structure, water
holding capacity, stability).
- Soil nutrients.
- Toxicity (pH, heavy metals,
salinity).
- Climate
INITIAL CONDITIONS /
LEGACY
(lithology, natural topography
and landforms, topsoil,
opportunities (source of
propagules, springs)
ECOSYSTEM
DESIGN
- Topography
- Topsoil
- Species composition
- Pattern
- Key biological
interactions
(mycorrhizae, N fixers
pollinisators, ...)
- Successional
trajectories (inhibitor
species, facilitation,
alternative stable
states)
- Integration into mining

operation planning.
- Land use objectives
(social actors participation)
- Deep knowledge about
ecosystem of reference.
- Research programme
- Earthworks (landforms
design and erosion control
plan).
- Topsoil handling - Revegetation
- Nutrient accumulation and
cycling.
- Management.
- Monitoring.
- Success criteria
Figure 53.1. Conceptual framework for open-cast mining reclamation.
(natural climate and topography, type and

abundance of topsoil); (2) natural perturbations (droughts, extreme rainfall events, frost
periods, pests); (3) inuence of the surrounding
ecosystems and people (runoff and sediment
ows, sources of propagules, herbivorism,
grazing, hunting, land uses); and (4) human
contingencies (modication/intermittence of
mining operations; mistakes in the performance
of reclamation works; changes in legal rules,
etc.).
Deterministic processes involved in mining
reclamation have been well studied and a wide
set of reclamation techniques and tools have

been developed. Most typical of them in mining
reclamation are abiotic limiting factors and
nutrient cycling. Bradshaw458 identied the
main physical and chemical problems that can
be found in mine soils and their short and longterm treatments, which are shown in Table 53.1.
Following the proposed conceptual framework, the Reclamation Planning box in Figure
53.1 shows the main issues that should be considered, from the practical perspective, in order
458
Bradshaw, 1988.
372
J.M. Nicolau Ibarra and M. Moreno de las Heras
Table 53.1. Specic problems of mine soils and their treatments (Bradshaw, 1988).
Category
Physical
Problems
Structure
Heavy metals
Too high
Too low
Too high
Rip or scarify
Compact or recover with ne material
Stabiliser/mulch
Drain
Organic mulch
Fertiliser
Fertiliser + lime
Fertiliser
Organic matter or pyritic waste
Lime
Organic mulch or tolerant cultivar
Salinity
Too high
Weathering or irrigate
Stability
Moisture
Nutrition
Macronutrients
Toxicity
Micronutrients
pH
Too compact
Too open
Unstable
Too wet
Too dry
Nitrogen
Others
Immediate treatment
to improve the performance of open-cast

mining reclamation.459 In addition:
1. Both mining and reclamation activities
must be carried out simultaneously in an integrated way in order to optimise the opportunities offered by mining operations. This makes
reclamation works cheaper, quicker, and more
successful.
2. Reclamation projects must be designed
and developed by companies and social actors
together. It is critical to get an agreement about
the nal objectives for the reclaimed areas as
well as their use and maintenance.
3. Although general protocols for reclamation are available, it is always necessary to
carry out specic research in order to adapt or
develop them to the local conditions and to
obtain in depth knowledge about the reference
ecosystem. Cooperation between companies
and conservation organisms and nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) is valuable for
this phase.
4. A plan of monitoring and survey is essential for checking, improving, or redirecting the
applied practices.
Vegetation
Vegetation
Vegetation
Drain
Vegetation
Legume
Fertiliser + lime
Weathering
Lime
Inert covering or tolerant
cultivar
Tolerant species or cultivar
2. Examples
2.1. Fire Management in Jarrah
Forest Restoration on Bauxite
Mines in Western Australia460
Alcoa World Alumina Australia commenced
mining bauxite in the Jarrah forest of western
Australia in 1963. Since then, 10,600 hectares
have been rehabilitated. The climate is typically
Mediterranean with winter rainfall and summer
drought. Early restoration efforts were based
on imported species of pine and eucalypt from
Eastern Australia. This exotic vegetation is very
resilient to natural forms of disturbance, so
plant richness remains low and ecological succession runs slowly. The current rehabilitation
objective is to reestablish a functional Jarrah
forest ecosystem that will full the forest land
uses (conservation, timber production, water
catchment protection, and recreation). Rehabilitation began with the reshaping of the 2- to
5-m-high pit walls. Topsoil was re-spread. As
topsoil returned, a few tree stumps, logs, and
rocks were returned to the mined areas to
provide habitat for fauna. The ground was
ripped to a depth of 1.5 m. A seed mix of 70 to
100 local species was broadcast on the freshly
cultivated ground. Other plant species were
459
Adapted from Australian Environmental Protection

Agency, 1995.
Long-term treatment
460
Smith et al, 2004.
planted. A mixed fertiliser (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK) and micronutrients) was applied at 500 kg per hectare by
helicopter.
In 1997 Alcoa and the Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM)
developed completion criteria and standards.
Specically, the completion criteria require
restored areas to be resilient to re and capable
of integration into CALMs Jarrah forest re
management programme. Alcoa supported
research to determine how the vegetation and
associated faunal communities respond to re,
in order to dene when and under what conditions re should be reintroduced into rehabilitated areas.
2.2. Restoring Tropical Forests on

Lands Mined for Bauxite
Examples from Brazilian
Amazon461
Since 1979, the Brazilian mining company Mineraao Rio do Norte (MRN) has developed a
reforestation programme aimed at restoring
the evergreen equatorial moist forest destroyed
at a rate of 100 hectares per year during bauxite
ore extraction at Trombetas in western Par
State. The Trombetas bauxite mine is located
in the Sarac-Taquera National Forest on an
upland mesa at an elevation of 180 m. Restorationists working in most tropical settings are
usually hampered by lack of basic information
on the wide variety of native tree species that
characterise the pre-disturbance forests, as well
as insufcient understanding of the ecology
of disturbance and natural recovery to design
effective restoration programmes. A notable
exception is MRN, which has used a systematic
nursery and eld research strategy to develop
a reforestation programme based on mixed
plantings of more than 70 native old-growth
forest tree species.
Two main research programmes were carried
out in the last 11 years, and a number of reforestation methods as well as site preparation and
topsoil replacement protocols were tested.
461
Parrotta and Knowles, 2001.
373
Native forest species propagation and performance assessment programmes involved

evaluations of fruiting phenology, seed viability,
seed germination treatments, propagation
methods (direct seeding, use of stumped
saplings, wildings, and nursery-grown seedlings), and early survival and growth during the
rst 2 years after outplanting. A total of 160
species were evaluated. The standard reclamation and site preparation sequence was followed, which includes levelling of the clay
overburden, replacement of approximately
15 cm of topsoil and woody debris (removed
from the site prior to mining and stockpiled for
up to 6 months prior to application), deepripping of lines to a depth of 90 cm (1 m
between lines), and planting along alternate rip
lines at 2- by 2-m spacing (2500 trees per
hectare) using seeds, stumped saplings, or
potted seedlings, depending on species and
treatment. The total cost came to approximately $2500 per hectare.
The following conclusions can be drawn:
Careful site preparation practices, particularly judicious topsoil handling and reapplication prior to tree planting, are essential for
the establishment of forest cover, elimination of
competing grasses, and acceleration of natural
forest succession. Floristic enrichment of the
reforested areas is largely dependent on seeddispersing wildlife, so restoration managers
need to be cognizant of the critical role of
wildlife, actively encourage wildlife conservation in the surrounding landscape, and design
restoration treatments that will provide suitable habitats for a variety of target wildlife
species.
2.3. Open-Cast Coal Mining

Reclamation in Utrillas-Teruel
(Spain) in a Semiarid
(Mediterranean-Continental)
Environment462
Minas y Ferrocarril de Utrillas, SA (MFUSA)
company commenced open-cast mining in the
Utrillas coaleld in the early 1980s. The area is
462
Nicolau, 2003.
374
located in central-eastern Spain at 1100 m of

altitude. A major limiting factor is water deciency in soil, and therefore reduced water
availability for plants. Mean annual rainfall is
466 mm, 28 percent falling in June and May and
20 percent in September. The water decit is
292 mm from June to October. Restoration of
the mines was orientated toward agricultural
uses in agreement with social actors.
Improving soil moisture content was the
key success factor in the Utrillas region. The
MFUSA company developed a restoration protocol in which the three elements of the ecosystem, namely, landform, soil, and plants, were
designed in an integrated fashion to optimise
the supply of water and nutrients and to control
the abiotic exploitation of erosion.
Land forms based on the platform-bank
model with slopes of about 30 degrees had to
be abandoned because rainfall inltration is
low in steep slopes, and runoff leads to high rill
and sheet erosion. In turn, rill erosion increases
water deciency at the slope scale by reducing
opportunities for runoff reinltration into the
soil downslope.463 The best-identied topography was that based on the hydrological basin
as unit for reclamation. This is composed of
slopes with natural vegetation, at areas for
agricultural use, and a drainage network including watercourses, pools and sediment ponds.
Topsoil was carefully selected for its physical
properties (water-holding capacity).
Characteristics of constructed slopes were as
follows: gradient between 18 degrees and 21
degrees; insulation from runoff from platforms,
tracks, and upper berms; topsoil spreading
(50 cm thick); tillage transverse to the slope;
supply of organic fertiliser; sowing with herbaceous species at the end of winter; surface
tillage to bury seeds. Three years later, in
winter, woody species were planted.
This protocol has been successful to get grass
back, which controlled soil erosion and started
soil formation. However, ecological succession
is proceeding slowly. In fact, introduced grass
community have inhibited natural colonisation.
463
Nicolau, 2002.
2.4. Problems in the Reclamation of

Coal-Mine Disturbed Lands in
South Wales Coaleld464
Reclamation in South Wales started in Pwll Du
mine in the 1940s. Three surface mines were
reclaimed during the 20th century.
More recent land reclamation practice often
involves applied topsoil (100 to 150 cm) and the
establishment of seeded grass covers to allow
sheep to graze. Reclaimed areas are managed
by Commoners Associations.
However, large tracts of land, ofcially listed
as reclaimed from former mineral operations,
are in very poor condition. On-site problems
include gullying, poor vegetation cover, erosion,
and poor soil structure. Off-site they cause
problems due to accelerated runoff and, more
occasionally, chemical and sediment pollution.
Some of these problems are due to poor engineering and poor land husbandry, but they are
magnied by natural processes. Some mine
spoils/soils include a high proportion of friable
shales.These break down rapidly, when exposed
to disturbance/weathering, releasing clays,
which clog up soil pores and impede the inltration of water. This causes a progressive deterioration of the land with symptoms that may
include water logging, replacement of grass by
moss/lichen/bare ground, dieback of soil microbiota, increases in soil bulk density, and
decreases in soil aggregate stability.
Remedies that are being applied by the
Oxford Brookes University group include
developing a large/active soil microbiota
capable of transforming clays in water-stable
soil aggregates. This is done by introducing
deep-rooting tree species because they are vigorous and reliable soil formers and because,
with a little help, they can support large and
active populations of microorganisms.
3. Outline of Tools
A wide set of tools can be found in the references below. The following tools are more specic to mining reclamation:
464
Haigh, 1992.
The rst measure for protecting the most

valuable ecological areas from mining
impacts should be the use of geographical
information systems (GIS) plus environmental planning methodologies at the regional
scale.
In relation to topography design, Evans465
afrms that to successfully incorporate the
design of relief forms, the stability of the nal
forms must be predicted, which implies the
use of hydrological and erosion models. In
recent years, some erosion models for
reclaimed areas have been developed, which
are now being used in relief design. We
suggest using the RUSLE (Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation) 1.06 (for mined lands,
construction sites, and reclaimed lands),
which is a model that estimates the annual
surface erosion by water466 and can be used
for slope design. This model is available free
on the Web site http://sedlab.olemiss/rusle.
As off-site impacts on aquatic ecosystems are
among the heaviest disturbances produced
by open-cast mining, an erosion and runoff
control plan is essential. Several software
packages are available on the market. We
recommend evaluating the effectiveness of
erosion and sediment control plans.467 This
can be acquired through the International
Erosion Control Association at http://
www.ieca.org.
Topsoil handling is a key but easy issue when
it is planned. A critical point is storage. It
should be stored for a short period of time
and in small stockpiles. A second point is the
spreading of topsoil on the reconstructed
topography. To avoid soil compaction, such
an operation must be carried out with topsoil
that is neither too dry nor too wet.
Soil amendment is a quite general matter in
land reclamation. Table 53.1 shows a number
of remediation procedures proposed by
Bradshaw.468
A very useful tool from the practical point
of view is to count on an environmental
465
466
467
468
Evans, 2000.
Toy and Foster, 1998.
Field, 1997.
Bradshaw, 1988.
375
expert working in the eld as mining and

reclamation projects are going on. This
personin addition to being responsible for
the fullment of the reclamation project
should foresee the contingencies and should
prot from the opportunities offered by the
physical environment, mining operations,
local administration, and social actors.
4. Future Needs
Performance of surface mining reclamation
shows high heterogeneity depending on the
countries, the environments, and the companies;
consequently, the needs are very different. In
developed countries the main task is to reclaim
again thousands of reclaimed hectares, which
do not full minimum requirements.
From the technical point of view the weakest
points are land-form design and ecosystem
dynamics knowledge. Erosion and hydrological
models should be incorporated into reclamation planning. Also the reference ecosystem
has to be used for reclaimed ecosystem design
and to identify a number of successional trajectories, stable states, and thresholds of
irreversibility.
In developing countries, efforts in research
must be intensied as has been seen in the
example of the Brazilian bauxite mine. Reclamation laws must be enhanced or enacted in
some cases, but most importantly, laws must
be observed and enforced. However, often
in practice, this may seem utopian. In many
cases mineral deposit discovery and exploitation means deep environmental impacts, social
and political conicts, corruption, and even
armed violence. The imbalance is so high that
often neither society nor the politicians are
sufciently prepared to have a positive relationship with the transnational mining corporations. Given such conditions, an international
mining code of good practice would be useful.
We think that NGOs can be very helpful in:
(1) promoting experimental research, (2) training local restorationists, (3) favouring local
communities participation, and (4) advising
governments of developing countries.
376
References
Australian Environment Protection Agency. 1995.
Rehabilitation and revegetation. Best Practice
Environmental Management in Mining. Commonwealth of Australia, Barton.
Bradshaw, A.D. 1988. Alternative Endpoints for
Reclamation. In: Cairns, J.R., ed. Rehabilitating
Damaged Ecosystems, vol. 1. CRC Press, Boca
Raton, Florida, pp. 7085.
Evans, K. 2000. Methods for assessing mine site rehabilitation design for erosion impact. Australian
Journal of Soil Research 38:231247.
Field, S.J. 1997. Field Manual for Effective Sediment and Erosion Control Methods. Hydrodynamics, Inc., Parker, CO.
Haigh, M. 1992. Problems in the reclamation of coalmine disturbed lands in Wales. International
Journal of Surface Mining and Reclamation 6:31
37.
Haigh, M. 2000. The aims of Land reclamation. In:
Haigh, M., ed. Reclaimed Land. Erosion Control,
Soils and Ecology. A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam, The
Netherlands. pp. 120.
Kolasa, J., and Pickett, S.T.A. 1991. Ecological heterogeneity. Ecological Studies, No. 86. SpringerVerlag, New York.
Nicolau, J.M. 2002. Runoff generation and routing on
articial slopes in a Mediterranean-continental
environment: the Teruel coaleld, Spain. Hydrological Processes 16:631647.
Nicolau, J.M. 2003. Trends in relief design and construction in opencast mining reclamation. Land
Degradation and Development 14:215226.
Parrotta, J.A., and Knowles, O.H. 2001. Restoring
tropical forests on lands mined for bauxite: examples from Brazilian Amazon. Ecological Engineering 17:219239.
Pickett, S.T.A., Cadenasso, M.L., and Bartha, S. 2001.
Implications from the Buell-Small Succession
Study for Vegetation Restoration. Applied Vegetation Science 4:4152.
Smith, M.A., Grant, C.D., Loneragan, W.A., and

Koch, J.M. 2004. Fire management implications of
fuel loads and vegetation structure in jarrah forest
restoration on bauxite mines in Western Australia.
Toy, T., and Foster, G. 1998. Guidelines for the Use
of the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation
(RUSLE) version 1.06 on Mined Lands, Construction Sites and Reclaimed Lands. Ofce of
Surface Mining, Denver, CO.
Additional Reading
Barnhisel, R.I., Darmondy, R.G., and Daniels, W.L.,
eds. 2000. Reclamation of drastically disturbed
lands, No. 41 Agronomy series. ASA, CSSA, SSSA
Publishers. Madison, WI.
Bradshaw, A.D. 2000. The use of natural processes in
reclamationadvantages and difculties. Landscape and Urban Planning 51:89100.
Haigh, M., ed. 2000. Reclaimed Land. Erosion
Control, Soils and Ecology. A.A. Balkema.,
Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Harris, J.A., Birch, P., and Palmer, J. 1996. Land
Restoration and Reclamation. Principles and
Practice. Longman Higher Education, Horlow,
Essex, UK.
Hobbs, R.J. 1999. Restoration of disturbed ecosystems. In: Walker, L.R., ed. Ecosystems of Disturbed Ground. Series Ecosystems of the World,
16. Elsevier, New York, pp. 673689.
Parker, V.T., and Pickett, S.T.A. 1997. Restoration as
an ecosystem process: implications of the modern
ecological paradigm. In: Urbanska, K., Webb, N.,
and Edwards, P., eds. Restoration Ecology and Sustainable Development. Cambridge University
Press, Cambridge, UK, pp. 1732.
Urbanska, K., Webb, N., and Edwards, P., eds. 1997.
Restoration Ecology and Sustainable Development. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge,
UK.
Section XIV
Plantations in the Landscape
54
The Role of Commercial Plantations
in Forest Landscape Restoration
Jeffrey Sayer and Chris Elliott

Plantations can represent an opportunity for
the restoration of landscape functions, but
they can also represent a threat to natural
systems.
This chapter illustrates how commercial
plantations can be part of the solution to the
challenge of restoration and not always part
of the problem.
A basic principle to be agreed to is that plantation forestry should provide multiple production and environmental functions.
Considerable work has been done on more
environmentally friendly approaches to tree
establishment.
1. Background and
A rapidly increasing proportion of the worlds
wood is coming from plantations. Many of these
are large-scale industrial plantations and they
are often established on degraded lands. Such
plantations can represent an opportunity for
the restoration of landscape functions but they
can also represent a threat to natural systems.
Tree planting has been seen as the solution to
many environmental problems as witnessed by
national tree planting campaigns, programmes
to re-green deserts, etc. Elsewhere environmental groups campaign against all plantation
forestry on the grounds that it replaces native
vegetation and often intrudes on land used by
local people. Plantations are often viewed as
sterile monocultures with little biodiversity or
other environmental value yet many studies
have shown that even intensively managed
industrial plantations often support surprisingly high biodiversity values.469 In addition,
industrial plantations can form parts of landscape mosaics in ways that help to provide a
mix of production and environmental functions. The European Union has pioneered the
use of environmental payment systems to
achieve these multifunctional landscapes.
Forest plantations are dened by the United
Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation
(FAO) as forest stands established by planting
and/or seeding in the process of afforestation
or reforestation. The FAO does not restrict
its denition to timber or pulp plantations.
Because of their increasing signicance as a
supply of bre for wood industries, rubber
(Hevea spp.) plantations are now included in
global assessments of forest plantations. Recent
gures from FAO show that new forest plantation areas are being established at a rate of 4.5
million hectares per year, with Asia and South
America accounting for more new plantations
than any other region. About 70 percent of new
plantations, or 3.1 million hectares per year, are
successfully established; in the remainder, an
469
IUFRO, 2003.
379
380
J. Sayer and C. Elliott
astonishing 30 percent, trees are planted but

they are often not cared for and die.
Of the estimated 187 million hectares of
plantations worldwide, Asia has by far the
largest area, accounting for 62 percent of the
world total. In terms of composition, Pinus (20
percent) and Eucalyptus (10 percent) remain
the dominant genera worldwide, although the
diversity of species planted is increasing. Industrial plantations (producing wood or bre for
supply to wood processing industries) account
for 48 percent of the global forest plantation
estate and nonindustrial plantations (e.g., for
provision of fuelwood or soil and water protection) for 26 percent. The purpose of the remaining 26 percent is unclear.
The extent of plantations in industrialised
countries is harder to measure than in developing countries. Most forests in Western Europe
contain some planted trees, so the distinction
between plantations and natural forests is less
clear cut than in the new plantations in the
tropics. Industrialised countries tend not to distinguish between plantations and natural
forests in their inventories.
The FAO has identied the 10 countries
with the largest plantation development programmes (as reported by percentage of the
global plantation area): China, 24 percent;
India, 18 percent; the Russian Federation, 9
percent; the United States, 9 percent; Japan, 6
percent; Indonesia, 5 percent; Brazil, 3 percent;
Thailand, 3 percent; Ukraine, 2 percent; and the
Islamic Republic of Iran, 1 percent. These countries account for 80 percent of the global forest
plantation area. All of them are countries with
large extents of degraded landscapes.
Global interest in forest landscape restoration was partly triggered by environmental concerns about plantation forestry. Public criticism
of large-scale Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis)
plantations in Scotland led the U.K. Forestry
Commission to reverse its policies on upland
tree planting. The emphasis is now given to
planting native woodlands for amenity and
wildlife values. Not only the species planted but
also the spatial layout of the plantations is
designed to imitate natural woodlands.470
470
See Smout, 2000.
Large commercial plantations subsidised

by the World Bank were a cause clbre for
the environmental movement in India in the
1980s. Rural people complained that the exotic
species planted did not provide fodder for their
animals or supplies of the nontimber products
that they needed for their daily subsistence.
Tree-hugging campaigns were launched to
prevent the clearing of natural forests by the
plantation agencies.471
Pulp plantations in Indonesia have been
strongly opposed by environmentalists because
they often replace natural forest and deny
access to the land to local people. Similar
controversies have surrounded commercial
plantations in Chile and government sponsored
plantation schemes in Vietnam.472
However, forest landscape restoration
almost always involves reestablishing trees, and
the purpose of this chapter is to illustrate how
commercial plantations can be part of the solution to the challenge of restoration and not
always part of the problem.
2. Examples
2.1. Environmentally Benecial
Commercial Plantations:
Plantations in Brazil
The plantations established by the American
billionaire Harvey Ludwig at Jari in Brazil473
are an excellent example of how sensible management has turned what started as a major
environmental threat into a model of good
landscape management. The scheme started
with the planting of large areas of a single
exotic species. Many trees died and the plantations failed to achieve their commercial objectives, but their establishment did cause the
loss of large areas of natural forests. The Jari
plantations have changed hands twice and are
now owned by a Brazilian family company.
A greater diversity of trees is now planted in
300,000 hectares of plantations and large areas
471
Carrere and Lohman, 1996; Cossalter and Pye-Smith,

2003.
472
Lang, 2002.
473
See www.metsopaper.com.
54. The Role of Commercial Plantations
of natural forest have been set aside for protection within the plantation area. Additionally,
700,000 hectares of natural forest in the immediate areas have been brought under sustainable management for timber. The Jari operations are now certied by an internationally
accredited certication scheme. The area now
represents an environmentally sound balanced
landscape containing protected, managed, and
plantation forests.

Commercial Plantations: Pulp
Plantations in Sumatra474
Pulp plantations in Sumatra have been under a
lot of criticism for their negative environmental and social impacts. They often replaced
natural forest of high biodiversity value, and
many local people were displaced by their
establishment. Indonesian law required that
plantation companies set aside up to a third of
their land as natural forest set asides, but this
rule was largely ignored or the set asides were
neglected and illegally logged, often by subcontractors who sold the logs to the pulp mills.
Under pressure from environmental NGOs,
one of the companies, APRIL, has now supported the establishment of a national park to
conserve the remaining forests located within
its plantation estate. The infrastructure of the
plantation company provides access for park
managers, and prots from the plantation operation help to pay for park protection costs.

Cosmmercial Plantations:
Conifer Plantations in the
United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom exotic conifer plantations have long been opposed by the public,
which often preferred the open treeless landscapes of upland Scotland and Wales even
though these were the result of overgrazing by
sheep in the 19th century. A good account of
the controversy surrounding the issue of upland
conifer plantations is given in Smout.475 As
474
475
APRIL, 2004.
Smout, 2000.
381
commercial conifer plantations began to be

phased out, a new problem arose. It was discovered that the conifer plantations when they
were newly planted provided the habitat for a
large proportion of the U.K. population of the
rare falcon, the merlin (Falco columbarius).
Early successional woodlands that occur after
commercial plantations have been logged were
providing the only habitat for a rare species. In
this case, keeping some of the land under commercial plantations was contributing to landscape functionality.
3. Outline of Tools
In many landscapes commercial plantations
will have a potential role in restoration. Much
will depend on where in the landscape they are
located and how they are managed.
Plantations do not always have to be of a
single species. It is not always necessary to keep
the land under the trees bare; weeds and spontaneously colonising local trees can be encouraged. Mixed local species can be planted along
water courses or around the periphery of the
plantation to soften the visual impact of the
plantation and provide habitat for wildlife.
Plantations can be used to provide corridors
between patches of natural woodlands. Plantations can provide many products and thereby
reduce the pressure on natural forests. Plantations can sometimes be used as nurse crops to
help improve the soil and create conditions so
that native species can become established.
Plantations are often established using industrial techniques that tend to result in uniform
stands that are relatively low in biodiversity
and other environmental and social values.
But considerable work has been done on
more environmentally friendly approaches to
tree establishment.476 In any use of commercial
plantations to contribute to landscape restoration objectives, it is essential to ensure that the
plantations are managed to the highest possible
standards. The International Tropical Timber
Organisation (ITTO) Guidelines for the
476
Good accounts of this work are given in Nilsen, 1991,

and Whisenant, 1999.
382
J. Sayer and C. Elliott
Establishment and Sustainable Management of

Planted Forest477 remains a good source of
information on the important issues. But those
guidelines were issued 11 years ago, and they
give only passing attention to landscape and
biodiversity issues. These are the areas of
current concern, and the rest of the chapters in
this volume address issues that are pertinent to
this issue.The more recent ITTO Guidelines for
the Restoration, Management, and Rehabilitation of Degraded and Secondary Tropical
Forests478 go further in addressing these larger
scale issues. They probably constitute the best
technical document currently available on the
role of plantations in restoring landscape
functions.
The key to harnessing the potential benecial roles of plantations will be to develop a
vision of what the ideal conguration of the
landscape would look like. This vision needs to
be based on an understanding of the uses that
all stakeholders will make of the landscape.
Public participation in the process of developing this vision is important. Commercial plantation companies must be brought into this
process as early as possible and be convinced
that the commercial viability of their enterprises will be enhanced through developing
their plantations in an environmentally sustainable way. Arguments for this might include the
avoidance of local opposition or even sabotage
of the plantations, the possibility of achieving
green certication and thus better market
access, and the general advantages that come
with being seen as good corporate citizens.
The basic principle needs to be agreed on
that plantation forestry can and should provide
multiple production and environmental functions. This multifunctionality can be achieved
through diversication within the plantation or
by the development of landscape mosaics that
are designed in such a way that production and
environmental functions are spatially distributed so that the whole is greater than the sum
of the parts. Achieving optimal landscape
mosaics is often difcult because it requires
477
478
ITTO, 1993.
ITTO, 2002.
coordinated land allocation by different land

managers and owners. Formal spatial planning
can often achieve this, but informal negotiations amongst local land owners can also be
effective. Some large plantation operators
control enough land to establish mosaics within
a single land-holding.
A number of publications deal with the issue
of how plantation management can support
biodiversity conservation objectives. Several of
these are listed in the references to this chapter.
Many of them focus on the biodiversity that can
be encouraged within the plantations themselves. There is now more interest in the landscape ecology of plantation forestry. Signicant
recent experience comes from Western Europe
and the Mediterranean, and the books on landscape ecology listed in the references begin to
describe these experiences.
4. Future Needs
Much still has to be learned about how emerging understanding of landscape ecology can be
used as a tool for forest landscape restoration.
This is one of the challenges of conservation for
the coming decades.
A new challenge is emerging that will play a
major role in the future of plantations and
landscapes. This is the prospect of signicant
funding for afforestation in attempts to sequester carbon. These forest plantations will be
acceptable to the conservation community
only if they provide multiple environmental
benets. This means that forests established to
sequester carbon will have to provide landscape and biodiversity benets as well. They
will have to contribute to forest landscape
restoration.
References
APRIL. 2004. Sustainability Report 2004. Asia
Pacic Resources International Holdings ltd.
Jakarta, Indonesia.
Carrere, R., and Lohmann, L. 1996. Pulping the
South: Industrial Tree Plantations and the World
Paper Economy. Zed Books, London.
54. The Role of Commercial Plantations

Cossalter, C., and Pye-Smith, C. 2003. Fast Wood
Forestry: Myths and Realities. CIFOR, Bogor,
Indonesia.
ITTO. 1993. ITTO Guidelines for the Establishment
and Sustainable Management of Planted Tropical
Forests. ITTO, Yokohama, Japan.
ITTO. 2002. ITTO Guidelines for the Restoration,
Management and Rehabilitation of Degraded and
Secondary Tropical Forests. ITTO, Yokohama,
Japan.
IUFRO. 2003. Occasional paper No. 15. Part 1:
Science and technologybuilding the future of
the worlds forests. Part ll: Planted forests and biodiversity. ISSN 10241414X, IUFRO, Vienna.
Lang, C. 2002. The pulp invasion; The international
pulp and paper industry in the Mekong Region.
World Rainforest Movement, Moreton-on-theMarsh, UK.
Liu, J., and Taylor, W.W. 2002. Integrating Landscape
Ecology into Natural Resource Management.
Nilsen, R., ed. 1991. Helping Nature Heal: An Introduction to Environmental Restoration. A Whole
Earth Catalogue, Ten Speed Press, Berkeley, CA.
(Deals with restoration in a U.S. context.)
Smout, T.C. 2000. Nature Contested: Environmental
History in Scotland and Northern England since
1600. Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, UK.
Whisenant, S.G. 1999. Repairing Damaged WildlandsA Process-Oriented, Landscape-Scale
Approach.
Cambridge
University
Press,
Cambridge, UK.
383
Buckley, G.P., ed. 1989. Biological Habitat Reconstruction. Belhaven Press, London.
Cairns, J. Jr., ed. 1988. Rehabilitating Damaged
Ecosystems, Vols 1 and 2. CRC Press, Boca Raton,
FL.
2000Main Report. Forestry Paper 140. ISBN 925-1046425. FAO, Rome.
Gobster, P.H., and Bruce Hull, R., eds. 1999.
Restoring Nature: Perspectives from the Social
Sciences
and
Humanities. Island
Press,
Washington, DC.
Holl, K.D., Loik, M.E., et al. 2000. Tropical montane
forest restoration in Costa Rica: overcoming barriers to dispersal and establishment. Restoration
Ecology 8(4):339349.
Jordan, W.R. III, Gilpin, M.E., and Abers, J.D., eds.
1987. Restoration Ecology: A Synthetic Approach
to Ecological Research. Cambridge University
of degraded tropical forest lands: the potential role
of timber plantations. Restoration Ecology 6(3):
271279.
Luken, J.O. 1990. Directing Ecological Succession.
Chapman and Hall, London.
Reiners, W.A., and Driese, K.L. 2003. Propagation of
Ecological Inuence Through Environmental
Space. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge,
UK.
Additional Reading
Aide, T.M., Zimmerman, J.K., et al. 2000. Forest
regeneration in a chronosequence of tropical
abandoned pastures: implications for restoration
ecology. Restoration Ecology 8(4):328338.
Web Sites
www.metsopaper.com.
www.developments.org.uk/data/issue21/amazon.htm.
55
Attempting to Restore Biodiversity in
Even-Aged Plantations

While even aged plantations offer much less
biological wealth than natural forests, they
may prove more valuable than severely
degraded lands and may even be a step along
the way to restoring a forested landscape.
Plantations can help recovery of biodiversity by (1) attracting seed dispersers, (2)
reducing grasses and favouring the growth
of seedlings, and (3) ameliorating the
microclimate.
Plantations can be designed to improve biodiversity by (1) planting at low densities, (2)
using mixed-species designs, (3) using native
species, (4) planting close to a natural seed
source (forest), and (5) thinning to allow
more native vegetation to come through.
Further work is necessary on how to achieve
better plantation connectivity with forests
across landscapes, and on improving legislation related to plantations.
1. Background and
Even-aged plantations (i.e., plantations that
were established by planting tree seedlings all
at the same time, or within a few months of each
other) are the most frequent plantation type in
both tropical and temperate regions. In gen-
384
eral these plantations are monospecic (i.e.,

planted with a single species in large blocks).
Frequently, they are composed of exotic species
(for example, pine plantations in the Southern
Hemisphere; plantations of eucalypts in any
temperate or tropical region except Australia;
teak in Indonesia or Latin America). The
majority of plantations are established for
industrial purposes (timber or bre). However,
in addition to providing wood products, plantations could have a function in combating desertication, providing fuelwood, protecting soil
and water resources, rehabilitating degraded
lands, providing rural employment, and absorbing carbon to offset carbon emissions.479 Tree
plantations can also be a source of cash, savings,
and insurance for local farmers.
With regard to biodiversity conservation or
restoration, plantations are often viewed in
a negative light.480 It has been claimed that
monocultures of exotic plantations are no more
diverse than monocultures of soybeans or other
agricultural crops. Some authors do not even
want to use the term forest plantations, claiming that monospecic plantations are not truly
forests.
However, while plantations in general
support fewer native wildlife species than a
natural forest, they may sometimes hold more
diversity that other land uses in the same region
(e.g., agricultural land, pastures, degraded
land).
479
480
Keenan et al, 1999; Lamb, 1998; Montagnini, 2001.

Carnus, 2003.
55. Attempting to Restore Biodiversity in Even-Aged Plantations
1.1. Even-Aged Plantations

and Biodiversity
Plantations may serve biodiversity under
certain conditions:
1. In severely degraded areas: Plantations
can support a greater diversity of native plant
species in their understoreys than agriculture
or pasture systems. Plantation composition,
design, and management will vary according to
the objectives of the plantation, and so will the
factors that inuence biodiversity within and
around them.
2. In areas where natural regeneration is
very slow or very difcult: In some areas,
natural forest regeneration may be signicantly
delayed by physical or biological barriers (e.g.,
distance from seed source, heavily compacted
terrain, etc.). The establishment of plantations
may overcome some of these barriers by
attracting seed dispersal agents into the landscape and by ameliorating local microclimatic
conditions within the area, thereby accelerating
the recovery of biodiversity. Plantations may
help local biodiversity by facilitating regeneration of native tree species and providing habitat
for forest animals.481
If large-scale, monospecic plantations are
in full production, concern for biodiversity by
company owners is often restricted to the conservation areas that they maintain by law or as
a result of pressure from society. Nonetheless,
there are exceptions, such as when plantations
are managed to address particular conservation
pressures.The prime interest in a plantation will
not be biodiversity; however, conservation or
restoration of biodiversity may become a secondary objective. In general, there are cases in
which restoration of biodiversity and naturalness in existing plantations is justiable and
should be actively sought, for instance:
Where plantations are established on degraded
land that could be restored into native forest
Where plantations have been abandoned
When even quite unnatural plantations can
still provide habitat for a specic and impor481
Cusack and Montagnini, 2004; Parrotta, 1992; Parrotta

and Turnbull, 1997.
385
tant species through quite simple management

changesfor example, managing plantations
for specic nesting birds or mammals that
can utilise them, such as the establishment of
Dipteryx panamensis plantations, a species
whose seeds are feed for the endangered
green macaw in North Eastern Costa Rica
When plantations are situated close to biologically important areas, and where changes
in the management of the plantation can help
maintain or support these areas
When part of the plantation land, either by
law, economics, or feasibility, is not under
plantation and could be managed in such a
way as to counterbalance the effect of the
plantation on biodiversity
To make judgements about when and where
these approaches might be applicable, it is
important to understand the context in which
the plantation exists and the factors that alter
biodiversity. In all these cases, a key question
is whether the desired changes should come
about by allowing or encouraging natural
regeneration or whether some more active type
of intervention is needed. In some cases,
restoration may result in a more natural forest
overall; in others, the plantation may remain as
a highly unnatural crop but with specic elements that support a small number of desired
species (which can also be important to maintain a functional landscape).
1.2. Factors that Alter Biodiversity

in Even-Aged Plantations
The following factors can alter biodiversity in
even-aged plantations:
The use of nonnative species: Although they
do not always become invasives, nonnative
species are often less adapted to environmental conditions, could disturb the ecological balance between functional groups of
species, both vertebrates and invertebrates,
and could result in ecosystem viability problems in the long run. They may also thrive out
of control because of the absence of their
traditional predators.
Tree species diversity, pure or mixed plantations: Diversity is clearly less in monospecic
386
482
483
F. Montagnini
than in mixed plantations. In contrast, in

mixed plantations there is a greater variety of
habitats both in the vertical and horizontal
dimensions of space that can also attract a
larger number of animals (birds, bats, and
other mammals), which can act as seed dispersers of species from nearby natural forests.
Loss of forest habitats and microhabitats: If
a plantation replaces natural forest, there is
a loss of species. That is the case with many
reforestation projects in the tropics, where
plantations of a single species are established
in areas that once supported rain forest.
Loss of other natural habitats: Sometimes
plantations are established in regions that
have never supported forest in historical
times (afforestation), for example, pulpwood
and timber plantations in the delta of La
Plata river in Argentina, and in Uruguay,
where the natural ecosystems are prairies. In
these, plantations result in loss of specic biodiversity and landscape naturalness.
Status of plantation exploitation: When a
plantation is no longer productive, due,
for example, to market changes that have
affected the prices of tree products, plantation owners may not manage the plantations
for production, but may let natural regeneration proceed under the plantation canopies.
For example, several plantations were established in Puerto Rico by the U.S. Forest
Service and the Department of Natural
Resources in the 1960s. Management of
these plantations was limited and abundant
understorey biomass and species diversity is
found under the canopy of Caribbean pines,
mahoganies, and other exotic species.
Chemical inuences on soils by tree species:
Eucalypts have been claimed to have
negative effects on understory vegetation482;
however, effects may vary according to the
species and sites. For example, in highland
ecosystems in Ethiopia, richness and biomass
of herbaceous species in plantations of eucalypts and pines were as high as in natural
forest (most of the species found under
plantations were widespread species, mainly
weeds invading from montane or wooded
grassland).483
Cossalter and Pye-Smith, 2003.
Michelsen et al, 1996.
Figure 55.1. Understory regeneration under the

native tree species Vochysia guatemalensis in a
12-year-old plantation at La Selva Biological Station,
Costa Rica. (Photo Florencia Montagnini.)
2. Examples
2.1. Increasing Biodiversity in
Tropical Plantations by Mixing
Indigenous Tree Species
(Costa Rica)
At La Selva Biological Station, mixed plantations that integrated native tree species had a
relatively high abundance and high numbers
of regenerating species in their understory, as
opposed to pure plantations.484 Higher plant
species richness accumulated under Vochysia
guatemalensis,Virola koschnyi, Terminalia amazonia, Hyeronima alchorneoides, and Vochysia
ferrugineaall species commonly planted by
farmers in the region (Fig. 55.1). Natural regeneration was higher in understoreys with low
or intermediate light availability. Most of
484
Cusack and Montagnini, 2004.
387
Figure 55.2. Regeneration of woody

species was very low in areas not
used by plantations, in comparison
with regeneration under plantations
of native tree species at La Selva
Biological Station, Costa Rica.
Seeds were collected from under
each plantation species and in areas
not covered by trees for comparison of seed dispersal by birds
and bats. (Photo Florencia
Montagnini.)
the seeds entering open pastures were winddispersed, while most seeds entering the
plantations were bird- or bat-dispersed. This
suggests that the plantations facilitate tree
regeneration by attracting seed-dispersing
birds and bats into the area (Fig. 55.2). The different species of the plantations created different conditions of shade and litter accumulation,
which in turn affected forest regeneration.485
Competition from grasses is a major factor
inuencing woody invasion under these plantations. High accumulation of litter on the plantation oor may help diminish grass growth
and thus encourage woody invasion under the
species canopies. Farmers who manage their
plantations with the purpose of restoring local
biodiversity may have as an option, after harvesting the timber, the tending of the natural
regeneration of useful species. In this manner,
they obtain the prots from selling the timber
from the plantation, and later they will have
valuable timber species in the regenerated
forest.
been planted on old pasture or agricultural land

were surveyed.486 Soils were acid Ultisols and
Inceptisols. Initial spacing was 21/2 by 3 m or 3
by 3 m. Plots were set along transects where
basal area of trees, open canopy percentage,
leaf litter, percent plant cover, number of individuals, and biomass of understorey were
measured. A total of 66 plant families and 132
genera were recorded. Teak density was the
strongest predictor of understorey development; therefore, it was concluded that thinning
is the most important management strategy
to increase understorey biodiversity in these
plantations.
2.3. Restoring Indigenous

Biodiversity While Dealing
with Invasive Species
in Plantations
In the Parrita valley, seven teak stands of three

to 12 years and one 49-year-old stand that had
In several cases, a previously forested area

is invaded by aggressive grass, for example,
Imperata cylindrica in Indonesia, Imperata
brasiliensis in Brazil, Saccharum spontaneum in
Panama, and Pennisetum purpureum in Africa,
or by ferns. The competitive advantage of
grasses, combined with degraded soils and lack
of nutrients, prevents germination and initiation of tree seedlings. These grassland areas are
often maintained by res that inhibit colonisa-
485
486
2.2. Thinning to Restore

Biodiversity in Pure Plantations
of Teak (Costa Rica)
Carnevale and Montagnini, 2002.
Luoma, 2002.
388
F. Montagnini
tion by tree species.487 In many cases it is not

feasible to plant tree seedlings without rst
removing the invasive vegetation. Following
treatment to eliminate or reduce the invasive
vegetation, fast-growing tree species, often
exotic, are planted to initiate tree cover, suppress the grass, and ameliorate the environment.488 This facilitates the establishment of
other tree seedlings that may be brought later
to restore the original forest, or to start a mixed
or a monospecic plantation, depending on the
objectives.
2.4. Fighting Invasive Species in a

Plantation in the Eastern
United States
In the eastern U.S., one of the most challenging
invasive plants for forest restorationists is
the nonindigenous shrub, Amur honeysuckle
(Lonicera maackii), which has an ability to
resprout after cutting and possibly has allelopathic effects on native vegetation, turning
invaded sites into shrublands.489 In southwestern Ohio, glyphosate herbicides were used
to eliminate honeysuckle and facilitate the
establishment of planted seedlings of native
tree species (Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Quercus
muehlenbergii, Prunus serotina, Juglans nigra,
Cercis canadensis, Cornus orida). The end
result was successful restoration with an
increase in native woody plant diversity.
3. Outline of Tools
3.1. Role in Attracting Seed
Dispersal Agents into
the Landscape
Positioning of plantations in the landscape
inuences the movements of seed-dispersing
birds. For example, plantations attract more dispersers if they are set between forest patches to
facilitate bird movement. Tree recruitment may
be higher in plantations that are connected to
487
Chapman and Chapman, 1996.

Ashton et al, 1997; Fimbel and Fimbel, 1996; Kuusipalo
et al, 1995; Otsamo et al, 1999; PRORENA, 2003.
489
Hartman and McCarthy, 2004.
forests by long and narrow patches. Some species are better as perches due to their architectural characteristics. For example, at La
Selva Biological Station in Costa Rica, more
abundant regeneration was found under the
canopy of Vochysia guatemalensis than under
other native species of the same plantation.490
The result was attributed in part to the architecture of this species, whose branching pattern
is particularly suited to birds and bats. In
addition, the architecture of this tree species
allowed for a more varied light environment
that could accommodate a larger number of
species.
3.2. Planting to Improve Local

Microclimatic Conditions
As mentioned in the examples above, plantations create better light conditions for seedlings
that are shade-tolerant. Plantation shade suppresses grass and fern growth, thus favouring
the growth of woody seedlings. Temperature
uctuations are also ameliorated under the
canopy. Litter production can also help suppress the growth of grass.491
3.3. Factors Inuencing Natural

Regeneration Under
Plantation Canopies
3.3.1. Plantation Type
A low-density plantation may favour growth
of grasses instead of a varied understorey. An
initial tight tree planting density (2 2 m,
3 3 m) will ensure early shading of grass,
thus favouring competition by shade-tolerant
woody seedlings. Thinning will be needed later
to free up the growing tree seedlings.
3.3.2. Plantation Design

Mixed plantations have a higher variety of
environments for seed dispersers and create
greater variety of ecological niches allowing for
more diverse regeneration.
488
490
491
Guariguata et al, 1995.

Lamb, 1998; Parrotta and Turnbull, 1997.
Planting at different times so as to have a

mosaic of plantations of different ages is often
done to suit different market demands. This
offers a more varied environment that can help
recruitment of other species and can create
different niches and habitats that may favour
some wildlife.
Planting at wider distances and thinning can
allow greater light penetration in the understorey. At the same time, early shading by
a rapidly developing plantation canopy may
help suppress aggressive grass vegetation,
therefore favouring broad-leaved species in
colonising the understorey and thus increasing
biodiversity.
3.3.3. Distance to Natural Forest or

Other Sources of Seeds
Regeneration may be seriously prevented by
lack of seed and other propagules, if plantations
are set like islands in a sea of pasture or other
degraded vegetation.
3.3.4. Species Choices

Native pioneer species should be the rst choice
because fast-growing pioneer species shade out
grasses sooner. Native species are in better
balance with the rest of the ecosystem.
However, in extreme cases, when the land has
been too damaged for native species to grow on,
exotics are an option as shown in the examples.
3.3.5. Plantation Management

Thinning is probably the most important management intervention to favour regenerating
trees in plantations. For example, an analysis of
forest restoration after 120 years of reforestation with the exotic Pinus nigra in the Alps
in France, showed that in order for the pines
to serve as a true nurse for the native broadleaved vegetation, thinning and enrichment
planting were needed. Thinning facilitates
the dissemination of seeds of the native species.
Gap openings or even small clear cuts in
the pine plantations were recommended in
areas affected by infestation with mistletoe.
Planting patches of native trees can serve as
389
seed sources for future regeneration of native

species.492
There are a variety of management strategies
that can be used to increase diversity in
plantation ecosystems, even those including
exotic species. These strategies include thinning, as mentioned above; decreasing the intensity of management operations (fertilisation,
weeding); diversifying the number of tree
species planted; planting so as to have a mosaic
of plantations of different ages; and leaving
forest remnants in the landscape.493 Management strategies that fall within the guidelines
needed for forest certication (according
to schemes such as the Forest Stewardship
Council scheme, FSC) help to ensure that
plantation forests as well as native forests are
managed in a way that promotes wildlife
habitat.
4. Future Needs
More experiences are needed on plantations
and connectivity across landscapes. For
example, connectivity can be obtained through
the use of lines or even isolated trees in the
landscape, serving to buffer the actual plantation area, changing the shape of the plantation, etc.
There needs to be more work on the relationship between the plantation itself and its
surroundings. Taking a landscape approach
helps deal with both the area inside a plantation and the area around it.
More information is needed on the long-term
dynamics of tree regeneration in plantations;
most studies focus on young plantations.
Specic management guidelines are needed
to favour biodiversity, especially thinning
and enrichment. For example, Ashton et al494
designed a comprehensive set of guidelines
suited to the forests of Sri Lanka. The guidelines indicate silvicultural treatments needed
for a number of understorey and canopy
species, including size of the canopy openings
492
493
494

Carnus et al, 2003.
Ashton et al, 2001.
390
F. Montagnini
needed for each species, and mode of planting

(isolated seedlings or in groups or patches), as
well as the economic value of each species. See
next chapter Best Practice for Industrial Plantations for other management interventions to
promote biodiversity.
Attention should be given to alternatives
that can help farmers to increase biodiversity
while maintaining a protable system, by
enquiring into farmers goals and preferences
for tree species.
Finally, many countries need to improve legislation related to subsidies and establishment
and monitoring of plantations, and their inuence on biodiversity.
References
Ashton, P.M.S., Gamage, S., Gunatilekke, I.A.U.N.,
and Gunatilekke, C.V.S. 1997. Restoration of a
Sri Lanka rainforest: using Caribbean pine Pinus
caribaea as a nurse for establishing latesuccessional tree species. Journal of Applied
Ecology 34:915925.
Ashton, P.M.S., Gunatilleke, C.V.S., Singhakumara,
B.M.P., and Gunatilleke, I.A.U.N. 2001. Restoration pathways for rain forest in southwest Sri
Lanka: a review of concepts and models. Forest
Carnevale, N.J., and Montagnini, F. 2002. Facilitating
regeneration of secondary forests with the use of
mixed and pure plantations of indigenous tree
species. Forest Ecology and Management 163:
217227.
2003. Planted forests and biodiversity. In: Buck, A.,
Parrotta, J., and Eolfrum, G., eds. Science and
TechnologyBuilding the Future of the Worlds
Forests. Planted Forests and Biodiversity. IUFRO
Occasional Paper No. 15. IUFRO, Vienna, Austria,
pp. 33 49.
Chapman, C.A., and Chapman, L.J. 1996. Exotic tree
plantation and the regeneration of natural forest
in Kibale National Park, Uganda. Biological
Conservation 76(3):253257.
Cossalter, C., and Pye-Smith, C. 2003. Fast-wood
forestry. Myths and realities. Forest perspectives.
Center for International Forestry Research
(CIFOR), Jakarta, Indonesia.
Cusack, D., and Montagnini, F. 2004. The role of
native species plantations in recovery of under-
story diversity in degraded pasturelands of Costa

Rica. Forest Ecology and Management 188:115.
Fimbel, R.A., and Fimbel, C.C. 1996. The role
of exotic conifer plantations in rehabilitating
degraded tropical forest lands: a case study from
the Kibale forest in Uganda. Forest Ecology and
Guariguata, M.R., Rheingans, R., and Montagnini, F.
1995. Early woody invasion under tree plantations
in Costa Rica: implications for forest restoration.
Hartman, K.M., and McCarthy, B.C. 2004.
Restoration of a forest understory after the
removal of an invasive shrub, Amur honeysuckle
(Lonicera maackii). Restoration Ecology 12(2):
154165.
Keenan, R.J., Lamb, D., Parrotta, J., and Kikkawa, J.
1999. Ecosystem management in tropical timber
plantations: satisfying economic, conservation, and
social objectives. Journal of Sustainable Forestry
9:117134.
Kuusipalo, J., Goran, A., Jafarsidik, Y., Otsamo, A.,
Tuomela, K., and Vuokko, R. 1995. Restoration of
natural vegetation in degraded Imperata cylindrica grassland: understory development in
forest plantations. Journal of Vegetation Science
6:205210.
of degraded tropical forest lands: the potential
role of timber plantations. Restoration Ecology
6:271279.
Luoma, J. 2002. Understory vegetation characteristics along teak (Tectona grandis) plantation/
natural forest ecotones in Costa Rica. In: Tropical
Resources: The Bulletin of the Tropical Resources
Institute. Yale University, School of Forestry and
Environmental Studies, New Haven, CT, pp. 11
16.
Michelsen, A., Lisanework, N., Friis, I., and Holst, N.
1996. Comparison of understory vegetation and
soil fertility in plantations and adjacent natural
forests in the Ethiopian highlands. Journal of
Applied Ecology 33:627642.
Montagnini, F. 2001. Strategies for the recovery of
degraded ecosystems: experiences from Latin
America. Interciencia 26(10):498503.
Otsamo, A., Hadi, T.S., Kurniati, L., and Vuokko, R.
1999. Early performance of 12 Acacia crassicarpa
provenances on an Imperata cylindrica dominated
grassland in South Kalimantan, Indonesia. Journal
of Tropical Forest Science 11(1):3646.
Parrotta J.A. 1992. The role of plantation forests in
rehabilitating degraded tropical ecosystems. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 41:115133.

Parrotta, J.A. and Turnbull, J. 1997. Catalizing native
forest regeneration on degraded tropical lands.
PRORENA. 2003. The Native Species Reforestation
Project (PRORENA) Strategic Plan 20032008.
Center for Tropical Forest Science (CTFS) (Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute) (STRI), and
Tropical Resources Institute at the Yale School of
Forestry and Environmental Studies, New Haven,
CT. (Unpublished document.)
Vallauri, D., Aronson, J., and Barbero, M. 2002. An
391
Additional Reading
Montagnini, F., and Jordan, C.F. 2005. Plantations
and agroforestry systems. pp. 163215. In: Montagnini, F., and Jordan, C.F. 2005. Tropical Forest
Ecology. The Basis for Conservation and Management. Springer-Verlag, Berlin-New York.
Piotto, D., Montagnini, F., Kanninen, M., Ugalde, L.,
and Viquez, E. 2004. Forest plantations in Costa
Rica and Nicaragua: performance of species and
preferences of farmers. Journal of Sustainable
Forestry 18(4):5777.
56
Best Practice for Industrial
Plantations
Nigel Dudley

Forest plantations have been a major threat
to forests and forest biodiversity because of
poor management practices and little or no
planning for their location within landscapes.
Well-managed and appropriately located
plantations, however, can sometimes play an
important role in healthy, diverse, and multifunctional forest landscapes.
There is an urgent need for capacity building with respect to good social and environmental management for plantations.
1. Background and
The area of forest plantation in the world has
increased by 17 percent in the last decade,
half from the conversion of natural forests
to plantations and half from afforestation or
reforestation on previously nonforested or
deforested lands. Timber plantations often
impose signicant environmental and social
costs, particularly when they are established
through the conversion of natural forests, as has
often been the case, for example, in Indonesia
and Chile. Indiscriminate forest clearing,
uncontrolled burning, and disregard for the
rights and interests of local communities have
often been associated with plantation estab-
392
lishment. Unless there are signicant changes

in policies and practices, in many regions
the expansion of plantations will continue to
threaten forests of high conservation value,
freshwater ecosystems, forest-dependent peoples, and habitats of endangered species.
However, well-managed and appropriately
located plantations can play an important role
in healthy, diverse and multifunctional forest
landscapes, for instance, by providing a sustainable source of timber and freeing up other
areas to be set aside as reserves. The plantation
industry can also, if properly managed, generate valuable foreign exchange earnings and
employment opportunities for producer countries. The principles of forest landscape restoration recognise that plantations can play a role
in a sustainable forest landscape, if they are well
managed and have the support of local communities and are well-sited within the landscape (e.g., not in areas of high or potentially
high biodiversity). Key elements of sustainability within the plantation forest industry are the
following:
Maintenance of high conservation value
forests: plantations should not replace high
conservation value forests. This will normally
require well-informed negotiations among a
wide range of stakeholders to integrate plantations with the mosaic of other land uses.
Multifunctional forest landscapes: plantations should enhance environmental values
by providing corridors between, and buffer
zones around, natural forest areas and should
56. Best Practice for Industrial Plantations
enhance social values by providing benets

to local communities.
Sound environmental management practices: the industry should adopt management
practices that minimise environmental
impacts such as air and water pollution,
forest res, soil erosion, pest invasion, and
biodiversity loss.
Respect for rights of local communities
and indigenous peoples: the industry should
recognise legal and customary rights of local
and indigenous communities to own, use, and
manage their lands, territories, and resources.
Positive social impacts: the industry should
maintain or enhance the social and economic well-being of plantation workers and
communities.495
Procient regulatory frameworks: regulatory
frameworks should encourage best practices.
At a minimum, the industry should respect
all national laws. Responsible behaviour will
often require performance standards exceeding local and national laws, especially where
regulatory frameworks are underdeveloped
or governance is weak.
Transparency: the industry should adopt and
make public, policies, practices, and implementation plans pertaining to their social and
environmental performance. They should
encourage independent, publicly available
performance monitoring, involving local
stakeholders in both development of standards and performance monitoring.
2. Outline of Tools
Assuring that plantations play a positive rather
than a negative role depends on two factors:
locating plantations in places where they do not
destroy valuable natural habitat or undermine
peoples livelihood options, and managing them
in ways that minimise detrimental impacts.
393
ties can help to reduce problems. A number of

tools exist:
Initial cost-benet analysis: draws on desk
studies, remote sensing, and initial site
surveys to determine whether further investment is justiable, and covers government
policies and regulations; tenure; social issues
relating to local communities; geography
(soil, climate, topography); existing land use;
nearby protected areas; existing and planned
infrastructure (roads, rivers, etc.); options for
plantation species; and economics.
Feasibility study: provides the information
needed to make the decision about whether
or not to go ahead with the project, covering
topography; vegetation/land cover; ecology
and biodiversity; soils; hydrology of major
watercourses and ground water sources;
land use and land rights; socioeconomics;
interest in investment projects; eld trials of
possible plantation species if necessary; and
economics.
Principles for plantation establishment:
several existing principles provide the basis
for site location and should include minimising impact on important natural habitats
and minimising detrimental impacts on local
human communities.
2.2. Managing Plantations

Once a suitable site has been identied, care
needs to be taken to minimise the environmental and social costs of the plantation,
with particular emphasis on groundwater contamination, soil erosion, and re disturbance.
Several codes of practice and detailed guidelines exist496 and it is possible to apply for a
credible third-party certication scheme. An
outline guide to best practice is given in Table
56.1, designed to be used as a site-level rapid
assessment tool.497
2.1. Locating Plantations

Many plantations are badly planned. Baseline
surveys and consultation with local communi495
Davis-Case, 1990.
496
Dykstra and Heinrich, 1996; FAO, 1977, 1978.

In addition to the references given immediately above
it also draws on Burrough and King, 1989; Hamilton, 1988;
Hurst et al, 1991; Sedlack, 1988a,b.
497
394
N. Dudley
Table 56.1. Guide to helping plantation managers.

PLANNING
Has a feasibility study been carried out?
Has an environmental impact assessment been carried out?
Does a management plan exist?
Does the management plan include biodiversity and environmental issues?
Does the management plan include social concerns?
SOCIAL VALUES
Protecting peoples rights
Have stakeholders been consulted?
Have efforts been made to include all relevant stakeholders?
Have vulnerable human communities been included in the consultation?
Has information about the plantation been distributed in the vicinity?
Have efforts been made to nd out opinions about the plantation?
Are local people involved in management decisions?
Rate level of involvement (check one)
Active consultation
Seeking consensus
Negotiating
Sharing authority
Transferring authority
Benets to the local community
Is there a local community liaison ofcer employed by the plantation?
How many jobs does the plantation provide?
Permanent
Temporary
What proportion of jobs goes to local people?
Permanent
Temporary
Are wage levels equivalent to national standards?
Does the plantation provide the following benets to the local community:
Preferential access to its products?
Improved roads and other infrastructure?
Opportunities for community involvement in management?
Recreational opportunities?
Hydrological services (improved freshwater and sheries downstream)?
BIOLOGICAL VALUES
Provision for biodiversity
Is there a biodiversity conservation ofcer for the plantation?
Is there a biodiversity plan for the plantation?
Are workers instructed regarding biodiversity conservation?
Is the plantation established in place of
Primary forest?
Secondary forest?
Scrub?
Farmland?
Deforested land?
Unforested land?
Does the plantation contain adequate provision for the protection of the following habitats:
Remaining natural or seminatural forest fragments?
Protection forests, e.g., to protect degraded sites, slopes, and landscape values?
Riparian woodland and other natural vegetation?
Wetland areas, peat, and marshes?
Individual trees in the landscape (e.g., for raptor nests)?
Other microhabitats (corridors, nest sites, lairs, etc.)?
Has there been restoration of natural forests within the plantation?
Is biodiversity conservation adequate within the plantation?
Rare or threatened species?
395
Table 56.1. Continued

Protection of protected areas
Is the plantation within a protected area?
Does the plantation directly border onto a protected area?
Has the plantation increased access to a protected area (e.g., for bush meat hunting or illegal logging)?
Protection of cultural sites and aesthetic values
Is there a staff member specically responsible for protection of cultural and aesthetic values?
Has an integrated management plan been developed that incorporates cultural values?
Is provision made for protection of the following artefacts:
Archaeological sites (e.g., earthwork fortications)?
Historical sites (e.g., buildings, pathways, etc.)?
Spiritual sites (e.g., sacred groves, graves, etc.)?
Burial sites?
Readily identiable cultural sites such as buildings?
Cultivated areas (e.g., fruit gardens)?
Areas of local distinctiveness and importance?
Areas where vegetation management has important historical associations (e.g., ancient coppice)?
ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES
Does the plantation have a detailed policy for minimising environmental damage during site preparation, planting,
fertiliser use, thinning, and harvesting?
Is there a staff member specically responsible for environmental management?
Site preparation
Does site preparation include some or all of the following:
Steps to avoid sensitive soils?
Soil erosion control measures?
Contour ploughing on steep slopes?
Elimination of heavy machinery in wetland areas?
Provision of cut-off drains on steep slopes?
Construction of settling pools in drainage systems?
Steps to avoid using heavy machinery when soil moisture is high?
Seepage buffer zones along the contour and alongside natural watercourse?
Planting
Are the following areas avoided in planting:
Cliff edges?
Steep slopes?
Caves and sinkholes?
Buffer areas around watercourses and wetland areas?
Sites of historical and cultural value?
Fertiliser use
Are the following steps taken to minimise damage from fertiliser run-off:
Matching applications to the needs of sites and species?
Use of slow-release fertilisers or slow-release application methods?
Use of application methods that avoid broadcasting fertilisers over the whole area?
Application at the period of maximum growth?
Avoiding application in periods of low growth and/or heavy rainfall?
Avoiding application next to watercourses or near groundwater sources?
Monitoring losses including monitoring of algal blooms near the plantation?
Including alternative methods such as use of tree residues, composts, mulches, and manures?
Harvesting and extraction
Does the plantation take any of the following steps to avoid damage during harvesting:
Avoiding times when soil conditions will encourage erosion?
Planning of compartments and coupes?
Planning extraction routes?
Avoiding felling areas of biodiversity importance?
Avoiding felling areas of cultural importance?
Use of a range of extraction techniques depending on soil and climatic conditions?
Liaison with local people to identify the least disruptive times for harvesting?
Ensuring sufcient supply of safety equipment?
396
N. Dudley

Road building and use
Does the plantation have a staff member especially responsible for road building and maintenance?
Does the plantation take any of the following steps to minimise impacts of road building and use:
Have a plan to minimise length, width and gradient of roads?
Avoid building roads in high erosion risk areas?
Compact roads after construction and ensure revegetation?
Install bridges, ditches, and culverts as needed?
Install cut-off drains, silt traps, and pools?
Use and enforce speed limits?
Limit the size and weight of vehicles using the roads?
Close secondary roads when they are not needed?
Close roads during the wet season or other unsuitable climatic conditions?
Minimise pollution and noise for local communities?
PEST AND WEED CONTROL
Reducing risks from invasive species
Does the plantation take any of the following steps to reduce invasive species:
Avoid likely invasive species?
Practice hygiene in seed and other imported material to avoid introducing pests and diseases?
Planning roads to minimise the spread of invasive species?
Training staff to recognise invasive species?
Have a pest control programme?
Controlling weeds
Does the plantation take any of the following steps to reduce weeds and impacts of weed control:
Instructing all staff in the identication of the main weed species?
Hand weeding?
Flame weeding?
Use of small-scale mechanical weeding equipment?
Spot treatment with herbicides?
Use general herbicides?
Controlling pests and diseases
Does the plantation take any of the following steps to reduce pests and diseases:
Select trees that are resistant to pests and diseases?
Use planting strategies to minimise pest attack (e.g., mosaic of different species and/or ages, including natural
forest)?
Train workers to spot pest and disease attack and key pests?
Use cultural and biological controls?
Use pesticides?
Use of pesticides
Does the plantation take any of the following steps to reduce detrimental impacts from pesticides:
Choosing the least toxic and least persistent pesticides?
Ensure that workers are properly trained in safe use of pesticides?
Ensure that safety equipment is available and is used?
Take steps to avoid spray drift or contamination of watercourses?
Store pesticides in secure places?
Minimise the number of occasions on which pesticides are used?
FIRE CONTROL AND MANAGEMENT
Does the plantation have a staff member especially responsible for re management?
Does the plantation take the following steps to avoid re:
Liaison with local people to ensure that there is minimal resentment toward the plantation?
Have pubic educational material about re hazards (e.g., posters or leaets)?
Planning to minimise re risks through use of re breaks, choice of tree species and use of?
Build and staff watch towers?
Appoint local re prevention ofcers?
Train and equip staff to combat res?
STAFF TRAINING
Does the plantation offer any of the following training opportunities:
Relevant written information (translated into the local language if necessary)?
Laminated cards for use in the eld (e.g., pest identication charts, pictures of areas to avoid planting)?
397

Videos of health and environmental safety procedures?
Training courses for permanent and temporary staff?
Relevant training for contractors?
Does the plantation provide information on the following topics:
Social relations regarding the plantation?
Biodiversity management?
Care of the environment during operations?
Pest, disease, and weed control?
MONITORING AND EVALUATION
Does a monitoring and evaluation programme exist for the plantation?
Is the plantation independently certied (e.g., by a certier afliated with the Forest Stewardship Council)?
3. Future Needs
There is an urgent need for capacity building
with respect to good social and environmental
management for plantations, which needs
to go beyond the minority of companies that
embrace best practice through certication and
include pressure on all companies, including
through the marketplace, to meet minimum
best practice standards. From a technical perspective, better guidelines for site selection are
required, as are tools to help plan the retention
of natural vegetation within plantations.
References
Burrough, E.R., Jr., and King, J.G. 1989. Reduction
in soil erosion on forest roads. USDA Forest
Service, General Technical Report INT-264,
Ogden, UT.
Davis-Case, D. 1990. The communitys toolbox:
the idea, methods and tools for participatory
assessment, monitoring and evaluation in community forestry. Community Forestry Field Manual
No. 2. UN Food and Agriculture Organisation,

Rome.
Dykstra, D.P., and Heinrich, R. 1996. FAO Model
Guide of Forestry Practice. Food and Agricultural
Organisation of the United Nations, Rome.
Nations. 1977. Planning Forest Roads and Harvesting Systems, FAO Paper No. 2, Forestry
Department. FAO, Rome.
Nations. 1978. Establishment Techniques for
Forest Plantations. FAO Forestry Paper No. 8.
FAO, Rome.
Hamilton, L.S. 1988. Minimising the adverse impacts
of harvesting in humid tropical forests. In: Lugo,
A., Clark, J.R., and Child, R.D., eds. Ecological
Development in the Humid Tropics. Winrock
International Institute for Agricultural Development, Morrilton, AR.
Hurst, P., Hay, A., and Dudley, N. 1991. The Pesticides
Manual. Journeyman Press: London and Concord,
MA.
Sedlak, O. 1988a. Principles of Forest Road Nets.
Nations, Rome.
Sedlak, O. 1988b. Maintenance of Forest Roads, Food
and Agriculture Organisation of the United
Nations, Rome.
Part E
Lessons Learned and the Way Forward
57
What Has WWF Learned About
Restoration at an Ecoregional Scale?
Nigel Dudley

Forest landscape restoration is a process that
should ideally be integrated with protection
and sustainable management of forests at a
landscape scale.
A suite of different responses is required
for successful restoration, depending on
circumstances, ranging from policy changes
through negotiation, stakeholder processes,
research, capacity building, and practical
interventions.
Monitoring and the associated evaluation
are both critical but present real challenges
in addressing forest restoration on a landscape scale.
1. Background and
Although there has been a long history of individual forest restoration projects, until recently
few attempts have been made to integrate
restoration into either broad-scale conservation or wider sustainable development initiatives. In 2000, WWF the global conservation
organisation set a target to run a number of
forest landscape restoration initiatives around
the worldat least ten forest landscape
restoration initiatives underwayto test out
ideas and approaches to restoring multiple
forest functions over a landscape. The target

was achieved, providing initial experience of
successes and failures, and at the same time
those involved were actively learning from the
actions of others involved in restoration:
conservation and development organisations,
governments, and research bodies. The experiences of WWFs partner organisation, IUCN,
the World Conservation Union, is particularly
relevant here. This chapter summarises some of
the main experience to date.
1.1. A Growing Recognition

of Need
Until recently, the need for restoration has been
more clearly recognised by the development
community than by conservation professionals.
Many conservation biologists believed that
protecting remaining natural or seminatural
habitat was a far higher priority than restoring
degraded habitat, and that, in any case, restoration could seldom achieve anything of great
signicance from a conservation perspective.
This means that restoration projects have
tended to focus on human needsfuelwood,
fodder, windbreaks, etc.rather than potential
conservation benets. There was resistance to a
restoration target even within WWF. Over the
5-year period of the programme, and at least in
part as its result, many of these objections have
declined or disappeared. Research showed the
extent to which many high biodiversity ecosystems are already in need of restoration, either
because natural habitat has declined below
401
402
N. Dudley
critical levels or because forest loss is causing

wider problems such as siltation of freshwater
or mangroves498. One implication has been
increased support for restoration activities
within conservation programmes, including by
the Convention on Biological Diversity.
1.2. Restoration Needs to Be

Integrated with Protection
and Management
Restoration is generally a time-limited process,
albeit often a lengthy one, that will eventually
result in an ecosystem that either can function
by itself, perhaps in a protected area, or
requires some level of continual management.
One important element in planning restoration
is to decide how a restored forest will be
managed in the long term, which itself helps to
decide what type of restoration activities are
required. The transition between restoration
and management can sometimes be quite
subtle; for instance, removal of alien invasive
species may involve a single operation or a
long-term management task. Restoration may
sometimes be an intervention in a landscape
that is already protected or managed for some
other purpose. For example, efforts to increase
the deadwood component in some Finnish
protected areas involve articially creating
deadwood to help maintain a few endangered
saproxylic species (see Restoration of Deadwood as a Critical Microhabitat in Forest Landscapes); it is assumed that in the future natural
processes will maintain this microhabitat.
1.3. Restoration Should Be

Regarded as a Process
Restoration, being a time-limited intervention,
is different from other forms of permanent
management, including protection. Specic
restoration projects, therefore, need to identify
an end point.This raises philosophical and practical questions about what such an end point
could be; many conservation organisations
implicitly assume that restoration should seek
to re-create a natural forest such as might be
498
Dudley and Mansourian, 2003.
found in the absence of humans. But many of

the worlds forests have only developed since
Homo sapiens evolved and have never existed
in a pristine prehuman state. More specically, the social goals of many restoration
activities mean that some useful forests may
be profoundly unnatural if they are primarily
aimed at, for instance, supplying food or energy.
This is sometimes also the case from the
perspective of biodiversity conservation, for
instance, when forests are suppressed by re to
provide savannah habitat or conversely where
forests are already so small and fragmented
that re is articially suppressed to protect
remnant species. Setting end points for restoration remains a challenge in many cases and one
that involves asking larger questions about the
long-term aims of both conservation and development within a landscape.
1.4. A Suite of Responses

is Required
Experience from WWFs project portfolio and
from other restoration initiatives suggests that
the traditional focus of restoration projects on
establishing tree nurseries and tree planting is
usually irrelevant in terms of creating major
changes to forest cover or forest quality,
although there are exceptions to this general
rule. Large-scale tree planting is also too costly
an option for most situations. The programme
has experimented with ve different responses:
1. Policy changes that can increase the proportion of natural regeneration or near-natural
forest management on a major scalefor
example, work with the Vietnamese and
Chinese governments aiming at making strategic changes to policy initiatives like the Chinese
Grain for Green Programme and Vietnams
5-million Hectare Programme, which both
currently focus almost exclusively on plantations, to increase the proportion of natural
regeneration within these programmes (see
Perverse Policy Incentives and case study
Vietnam).
2. Stakeholder involvement and negotiation
at a landscape or ecoregional scale to create
57. What Has WWF Learned About Restoration?
conditions conducive to natural regeneration

for example, work with local organisations in
New Caledonia and Madagascar (see case
study Madagascar: Developing a Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative in a Landscape in
the Moist Forest) that aims to agree on priorities and actions that will benet both human
society and wildlife
3. Management interventions to change the
nature of forest management and thus increase
forest qualityfor example, initiatives being
undertaken by WWFs European Forest Team
in terms of responses following major storms or
policies toward management of dead timber in
secondary forests (see Restoring Forests After
Violent Storms and the chapter cited above on
deadwood.)
4. Use of specialist knowledge in the development and dissemination of technical expertise to facilitate restorationfor example, the
guidance being developed in Portugal with the
aim of helping improve use of European Union
grants (see case study The European Unions
Afforestation Policies and their Real Impact on
Forest Restoration) or the use of economic
analysis to make the case for natural regeneration of endangered island forest ecosystems
in the Danube (see Practical Interventions
that will support Restoration in Broad-scale
Conservation).
5. Small-scale strategic tree planting, linked
to identication of need through, geographical
information system (GIS) mapping and eld
surveysfor example, to reconnect elephant
habitat through oil palm plantations along the
banks of the Kinabatangan River in Sabah,
Malaysia, to allow natural movement of elephant herds, and to reduce other impacts of
forest fragmentation (see Restoring Quality in
Existing Native Forest Landscapes)
1.5. Policy Changes are Often the

Most Urgent Challenge
A succession of national and international
commitments, practical projects, and workshops
have demonstrated general support amongst
governments, businesses, and communities to
look seriously at the question of restoration.
However, most large-scale restoration projects
403
are currently still focussed on a very narrow

band of options, including a predominant
emphasis on large-scale exotic monocultures.
While these may well have a role in the landscape, they are only one fairly small part of what
makes up a forest estate. Work with governments in countries as diverse as Vietnam, China,
Madagascar, Morocco, the United Kingdom,
and Portugal has shown that there is also a willingness to look at new approaches. Progressing
from words to actions, including changing wellfunded schemes that have already developed
some momentum, is a considerable challenge,
but is probably the way of making the largest
impact. However, policy work is seldom as
popular as practical projects with donor agencies or other bodies that might support restoration, as the latter provide instant results for
reporting, whereas the impacts of changes in
policy, whilst often more profound, are harder
to report. Building support for long-term policy
work on restoration is an urgent priority.
1.6. Success or Failure is Hard

to Measure
Work on Integrated Conservation and Development Projects (ICDPs) suggests that a good
monitoring and evaluation system is often the
key to success, giving project staff the information needed for the adaptive management that
is always needed in a complex project499. Development of a monitoring programme, therefore,
was the rst discrete piece of work undertaken
by the WWF restoration programme and this
has been tested and applied but is still a long
way from capturing all relevant data (see
Vietnam). Many of the changes aimed for by
restoration programme are inevitably subtle,
may be slow to emerge, and are not easy to
capture in simple statistics. Monitoring of
impacts or outcomes is inevitably a long-term
process. Yet these are precisely the kind of data
that many governments and funding agencies
require, and much work needs to be done on
better monitoring systems.
499
McShane and Wells, 2004.
404
N. Dudley
1.7. Most Existing Restoration

Projects Have Made Little
Attempt to Reconcile
Ecological and Human Needs
Indeed, as mentioned above, most restoration
projects have focussed on human needs, and in
fact often on an outsiders perception of what
those needs might be, so that, for instance,
numerous fuelwood projects have failed
because their instigators did not understand the
energy needs of local communities, which may
have been better served at least in the short
term by burning dried dung or other materials
than by giving valuable land to tree crops.500. On
the other side, many conservation-based
restoration projects have ignored what other
stakeholders might require from the landscape
altogether, with the result that the pressures
causing forest degradation remain and undermine restoration efforts. The need to reconcile
social and conservation needs, particularly in
landscapes where people are most directly
reliant on forest resources, is reinforced by
analysis of existing work.
1.8. Many Fundamental Questions

Remain Unanswered
When WWFs forest restoration programme
began, we assumed that we would draw on a
large body of experience. In fact we found more
questions than answers. They include quite
basic issues relating to, for instance, where
natural regeneration might work, the efcacy of
biological corridors, how to carry out stakeholder assessments over wide landscapes, and
the sustainability of nontimber forest harvests.
Many important restoration precepts are based
more on assumption than on research, which in
part reects funding difculties. Restoration
needs the injection of research cash that was
created for sustainable forest management.
Organisations like the Society for Ecological
Restoration International can help to spread
500
Leach and Mearns, 1988.
information, but there is also an urgent need for

better coordination between researchers and
those involved in practical restoration.
1.9. The Need for a Movement

Social change seldom comes from a single
individual or organisation, however much they
might like to think so, but instead when impetus
for change builds to the extent that it can carry
along doubters and overcome opposition. So
far, restoration, at least from the perspective of
its role as a major part of conservation strategies, has remained the enthusiasm of a minority rather than a widely supported priority.
The general lack of restoration programmes
within large conservation organisations is an
indication of this. The early experience now
needs to gain momentum, more support, and, in
particular, far more widespread government
commitment.
1.10. Lots of Enthusiasm but

Little Cash
It has proven surprisingly difcult to raise
funding for restoration, which remains outside
the experience or the targets of most large
donor agencies and even governments. The
kind of mass movement for restoration that is
now required will also need realistic amounts
of money. Building support amongst donor
agencies, multilateral lending banks, and government departments, therefore, is also an
essential factor in future success.
References
Dudley, N., and Mansourian, S. 2003. Forest Landscape Restoration and WWFs Conservation
Priorities. WWF International, Gland, Switzerland.
Leach, G., and Mearns, R. 1988. Beyond the Fuelwood Crisis. Earthscan, London.
McShane, T.O., and Wells, M.P. 2004. Getting Biodiversity Projects to Work: Towards more effective
conservation and development. Columbia University Press, New York.
58
Local Participation, Livelihood Needs,
and Institutional Arrangements: Three
Keys to Sustainable Rehabilitation of
Degraded Tropical Forest Lands
Unna Chokkalingam, Cesar Sabogal, Everaldo Almeida,
Antonio P. Carandang, Tini Gumartini, Wil de Jong, Silvio Brienza, Jr.,
Abel Meza Lopez, Murniati, Ani Adiwinata Nawir,
Lukas Rumboko Wibowo, Takeshi Toma, Eva Wollenberg, and Zhou Zaizhi

Three key lessons have emerged from a
(CIFOR)-led study on reforestation/rehabilitation/restoration in six countries:
1. It is necessary to strengthen local organisation and participation in restoration
projects.
2. It is necessary to consider local socioeconomic needs in choices of approaches and
options.
3. In the long run, it is necessary to ensure
that clear and appropriate institutional
support and arrangements are in place.
1. Background and
In many tropical countries, government agencies, international agencies, the private sector,
and civil society have expended much effort
and resources in forest rehabilitation activities
to meet rising demands both for forest products

and environmental services.501 The projects
have differed in scale, objectives, background
conditions, and implementation strategies, and
results have been variable. It is critical to draw
strategic lessons from these experiences and
use them to plan and guide future efforts to
increase their chances of success and long-term
sustainability. The key lessons and examples
in this chapter are based on the preliminary
results of the study Review of Forest Rehabilitation InitiativesLessons from the Past,
undertaken by CIFOR in collaboration with
national partners in six countries: Peru, Brazil,
Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, and China.
The study involved a comparison of a full range
of forest rehabilitation projects in each country,
an assessment of the technical, ecological, and
socioeconomic outcomes of selected case
studies, and workshops to obtain the inputs of
concerned stakeholders (http://www.cifor.cgiar.
org/rehab/).
The review focussed on initiatives that aimed
to establish trees on formerly forested land to
enhance productivity, livelihoods, or environ-
501
Sim et al, 2003; Sayer et al, 2004.
405
406
U. Chokkalingam et al
mental services through deliberate technical,

socioeconomic, or institutional interventions.
Integrated projects with forest rehabilitation
components were also included. The assessment looked at any rehabilitation methods that
involved trees, including agroforestry, plantations, and assisted natural regeneration.
Countries have chosen a variety of
approaches and incentives to rehabilitate
degraded land driven by many different considerations. The four Asian countries in the
study have a long history of forest rehabilitation, and the governments played a major role
in providing funds and implementing projects,
particularly in early efforts. International
donorfunded forest rehabilitation increased
in importance in recent decades. The trend is
now toward more private sector, communitybased, and local government rehabilitation
efforts for production, livelihoods, or environmental benets. In the Philippines and China,
this translates into a diversity of tenurial and
institutional arrangements with the involvement of multiple actors and a range of objectives. Project outcomes on the ground are
unclear, but China and Vietnam report success
in terms of increased forest cover. In Vietnam,
China, the Philippines, and recently Indonesia,
political motivations and policy changes
have led to intermittent large-scale efforts.
Planting trees, in particular fast-growing exotic
species, has been the predominant method in
Asia, although natural regeneration through
protection is also important in China and
Vietnam.
In contrast to the larger role played by government in Asia, small-scale farmer rehabilitation efforts appear more important in Brazil
and Peru, with colonist agriculture and livestock production being the major land degradation factors.The government mainly provides
incentives and schemes for farmers participation. In Brazil, farmers associations play an
important role in project discussion and
support. Rehabilitation efforts are also more
recent, since the 1990s, and fewer in number,
although growing. Projects are small in size and
involve agroforestry cash crops, fast-growing
native tree species, and integration with other
livelihood activities like bee keeping or sh
production.
1.1. Three Key Lessons Learned

from Past Rehabilitation
Projects
Three lessons have been learned on sustaining
rehabilitation efforts of degraded tropical
forest lands across the six countries reviewed:
1. Strengthen local organisation and participation in projects. More attention should be
given to involve, work with, and strengthen
local participation from project conceptualisation to implementation and management.
Active participation of the key actors taking
into account local knowledge and practices is
essential for sustaining the effort. Agricultural
and forestry policies should aim to develop and
strengthen local organisations and promote
appropriate strategies for technology transfer.
(Fig. 58.1) A well-organised group has higher
possibilities of succeeding, particularly during
the phases of product harvesting, processing,
and commercialisation. Numerous positive and
negative cases exemplifying this lesson exist
across the Peruvian and Brazilian Amazon, the
Philippines, and Indonesia.
2. Consider local socioeconomic needs in
choices of approaches and options. Livelihoodenhancing activities must be part of the plan,and
projects developed should address the needs of
people in the area in order to ensure their participation and interest in sustaining the project.
In some instances, rehabilitation projects have
actually deprived people of their original livelihoods (such as agriculture on the lands to be
rehabilitated), while not providing viable alternatives. Many cases were observed across the
Philippines and Vietnam where the project beneciaries subsequently burned the project area
so that they could be reemployed in the process
of replanting or rehabilitation. It is imperative
to carry out a socioeconomic analysis of promising production systems and small-scale trials
before promoting them. It helps if local farmers
and communities benet directly from the rehabilitated forests. Technologies to be promoted
should match the situation and capacity of the
producers. Tree-based production systems that
incorporate tree species with shorter harvesting
cycles and good market prospects tend to be
more adoptable. Processing and commercialisa-
58. Local Participation, Livelihood Needs, and Institutional Arrangements
407
Figure 58.1. Social forestry programme by the Ministry of Forestry

with local farmer participation on
private lands in East Kalimantan.
The planted species, teak, was
selected by the farmers. (Photo
Takeshi Toma.)
tion of products should be considered from the

start if rehabilitation aims at economic objectives. Integrated production systems (e.g., agroforestry, livestock, and sh) can help increase
food security and overcome market instability.
Positive and negative cases exemplifying this
lesson exist in all six study countries.
3. Ensure clear and appropriate institutional
support and arrangements. Strong and appropriate institutional support is critical for promoting investment and local participation in
rehabilitation projects, and ensuring their sustainability. This includes clear and undisputed
land-tenure status, a facilitating legal framework and policies, and good coordination
among agencies at different levels. Also important are formalised institutional arrangements
with clear division of tasks, rights, costs, and
benets among multiple stakeholders as a result
of thorough and mutually acceptable negotiations. Clear and mutually accepted institutional
arrangements help to avoid conicts, support
coordinated project management and fullment of assigned tasks, and ensure agreed-upon
benet ows to different stakeholders and their
stake in the long-term success of the project.
Enforcement of agreements is an important
part of such institutional arrangements. Positive
and negative cases exemplifying this lesson exist
in Vietnam, China, and Indonesia.
These three factors that contribute to successful forest rehabilitation are highly inter-
related and occurred across different project

types with different implementing actors,
project scales, objectives, funding sources, and
socioeconomic conditions. Project types ranged
from government-driven reforestation to community-based forest management, joint management, state or private company plantations,
companycommunity partnerships, cooperative
or group activities, integrated livelihood projects, and private tree farming or agroforestry.
Each of the three lessons is illustrated below
with cases from different countries. Some cases
are illustrative of more than one of the specied lessons, but have been placed under the
major lesson to which they relate.
2. Examples
2.1. Strengthen Local Organisation
and Participation in
Rehabilitation Projects
2.1.1. KMYLB (Farmers Association
for Forest Land Inc.)
Agroforestry Development
Corporation, Brgy, Nugas, Alcoy,
Cebu, Philippines
KMYLB is a community-based forest management (CBFM) project of the government of
the Philippines Department of Environment
408
and Natural Resources, located in a public

forest area in southern Cebu. The project area
of 1651 hectares was occupied by settlers early
on and subject to a government-led social
forestry programme in the 1980s with many
farmers granted the Certicate of Stewardship
Contract. This was followed by the issuance of
a reforestation contract in 1996 for people to
develop the remaining open areas. As part of
the reforestation contract, there were community organising activities that gave birth
to KMYLB as a peoples organisation. The
peoples organisation was then given the
CBFM agreement in 1999 by the government,
consolidating the many stewardship contract
areas, the plantations, and the remaining
natural forests in the area. Community organising was one of the major activities that
enabled active community participation in
forest development and protection. High levels
of cooperation and interest in CBFM activities
have been observed among community
members. Each member is assured of continuous benets from the forest through individual
forest gardens and community plantations.
Many organisational problems did occur, but
these were transitory and helped the organisation mature and strengthen its internal policies.
The strength of the peoples organisation and
its successful development and protection of
the CBFM area also makes it a magnet for
supportive infrastructure and livelihood pro-
grammes from international nongovernmental

organisations (NGOs) and others.
2.1.2. Agroforestry Development in the

Rio Cumbaza Basin, Peru
The San Martn region, with a land area of 1.9
million hectares, is the most deforested area in
the Peruvian Amazon. Deforestation and land
degradation are mainly due to short-rotation
slash-and-burn agriculture and the production
of illegal crops. The project Management, Conservation, and Productive Development in the
Rio Cumbaza Basin (19972001) executed by
the NGO CEDISA (Centro de Desarrollo e
Investigacin de la Selva Alta), promoted agroforestry systems for rehabilitating and maintaining soil productivity (Fig. 58.2). These
systems were well received by farmers because
they were based on species of economic importance such as coffee, and incorporated promising short-rotation forest tree species (such as
Schizolobium amazonicum, Calycophyllum
spruceanum, and Colubrina glandulosa) and
other species (mainly fruits) traditionally used
for subsistence and the local market. Families
actively participated in the design and establishment of the rehabilitation areas. The project
also promoted the formation of organised
farmers groups to strengthen their negotiation
capacity in local and regional markets and with
development agencies. One of these is a
Figure 58.2. Agroforestry trial for rehabilitating degraded lands and improving
farmers livelihoods in Peru. (Photo
Takeshi Toma.)
committee of ecological farmers who adopted

low-impact production strategies (including
agroforestry and management of naturally
regrowing forests) in buffer zones of protected
areas. The project promoted community
involvement in conserving and managing their
natural resources, in generating added value for
their products, and in developing markets for
nontraditional timber species.
2.2. Consider Local Socioeconomic

Needs in Choice of Approaches
and Options
2.2.1. The Bai Bang Pulp and Paper
Mill, Vietnam502
The Bai Bang Pulp and Paper Mill Project in
Vietnam costing $360 million was implemented
between 1974 and 1992. The project was
designed by the Vietnamese government and
Swedish Development Assistance with little
consideration of how sufcient wood supply
could be obtained from the surrounding region,
where there was high pressure on the land from
small farmers who subsisted on low-technology
agriculture and grazing. As a result, the mill
operated at less than full capacity for a long
time. The local population challenged the
monopoly on the wood and forest land claimed
by the forestry sector. Only a minor part of the
wood and bamboo cut by forest enterprises
could be used in the mill, as some 50 percent
was diverted, for instance, to Hanoi as fuelwood. Population pressure on the forest lands
increased with the construction of new roads
and loss of jobs in the forest enterprises.
However, in recent years private farmers have
been selling wood to the mill, thereby altering
the supply situation dramatically, and the mill
is now producing at capacity. Some state forest
enterprises are still in operation and producing
wood for Bai Bang, but much of the current
supply of mostly bamboo is grown and sold by
farmers. One important failure of the whole
process was inadequate project planning that
led to the adoption of inappropriate strategies.
502
Ohlsson et al, 2004.
409
The mill, however, provided a stable market

where people could sell wood products, and
they responded by starting to grow trees.
2.2.2. Rehabilitation of Degraded

Pasture Lands Project
Alternative Association of
Producers, Brazilian Amazon
The Alternative Association of Producers
(APA) in the Municipality of Ouro Preto
DOeste, Rondnia, Brazilian Amazon, was
funded in 1992 by small-scale farmers in the
region with the objective of providing landuse alternatives to slash-and-burn agriculture
and cattle ranching. With the support of
government-sponsored programmes (Type A
Ministry of Environment, Brazilian Fund for
Biodiversity) and NGOs (Movement Laici
Latin American, Group of Research and Extension in Agroforestry Systems of Acre-Pesacre),
APA focussed work on rehabilitating degraded
pastures and secondary regrowth through
integrated production systems involving the
planting of various fruit and forest tree species
along with aquaculture and bee keeping. With
around 300 participating families, the association has improved the infrastructure for
processing and commercialisation of the
diverse products coming out from the rehabilitated areas, which include fruit pulp and syrups,
canned palm hearts, honey, guarana powder,
medicinal oils, and furniture from wood
residue. Labour conditions and quality of life of
the families have improved signicantly, contributing to the sustainability of this project.
2.2.3. Project in Vila de Novo Paraso,

Municipality of So Geraldo
do Araguaia, Par State,
Brazilian Amazon
AGROCANP (Associaao dos Pequenos
Productores do Groto dos Caboclos de Novo
Paraso), an association of small-scale farmers
and residents of the community of Novo
Paraso, started a project to rehabilitate
degraded areas in several farmers lands in
1996. The project was supported by an NGO
410
and funding from a government programme

(Type AMinistry of Environment). The activities proposed by the project included the introduction of production systems based on the
agroforestry practice known as agriculture in
stages, which consists of establishing herb,
shrub, and woody species together with small,
medium-sized, and large tree species in the
same area. This project experienced the same
problems already found in various other projects implemented in the Amazon in the 1970s
and 1980s. Farmers did not participate directly
in the initial project proposal and even less in
the selection of species to be included in the
agroforestry modules. There was no market
prospecting or planning for the products to be
grown. Labour investment was too high, and
there was little security of production and
income. Given this situation, families abandoned the agroforestry modules and returned
to their only income source, livestock rearing
for milk production, despite much criticism.
2.3. Ensure Clear and Appropriate

Institutional Support
and Arrangements
2.3.1. Farm Forestry in Gunung Kidul,
Yogyakarta Province, Indonesia
Gunung Kidul used to be a dry area with
limited water supply that made it a poor region.
The local community started rehabilitating the
degraded land in the 1970s. The local government then supported community efforts
through formal recognition of the community
initiative, the provision of facilitating local regulations, and funding support. The community
and the local forestry agency successfully
rehabilitated the area using participatory
approaches. The dry landscape of 11,072
hectares has been afforested with mainly teak
and some Acacia sp., and now provides both
wood and ecological benets. Land productivity, forest cover, and water availability in the
area have increased, sedimentation rates have
decreased, and the microclimate has improved.
All of the above have in turn resulted in
increased supply of timber, fodder, and
fuelwood. Community income and access to
education, health, and other services have also

improved.
What differentiates this case from numerous
others is that the effort was not a top-down
approach with the government forcing an initiative on the community. Rather, the government acted appropriately in response to local
needs and provided strong institutional and
nancial support for the local initiative. Local
institutions were recognised and empowered,
technical support was provided, and the community was allowed to sell timber and to
continue its activities. The community itself was
highly motivated to transform the area and its
livelihoods, and were also supported by strong
leadership from within. Rights and responsibilities were clearly divided among the government, the forestry agency, and community
groups in the implementation of this effort.
2.3.2. Diversied Institutional

Arrangements in
Guangdong, China
The province of Guangdong in southern China
has had considerable experience in recent years
with formalising institutional arrangements,
and clarifying rights and roles of different
stakeholders to ensure the success and sustainability of its extensive rehabilitation efforts.
With these efforts, Guangdong has increased its
forest cover from 27 to 57 percent of the land
area from 1985 to 2003. The provinces experiences with diverse institutional arrangements
are serving as models for the rehabilitation of
degraded forest lands nationwide.503 Tenure
stabilisation, institutional reform in the rural
areas, and opening up of wood markets helped
to stimulate the involvement of different
stakeholders in rehabilitation. Diversied
institutional arrangements among stakeholders
appeared, such as cooperative and joint
afforestation by different levels of government,
state forest farms with village committees, and
village committees with private individuals;
stock sharing; and private investment on leased
land. From 1999 to 2000, Guangdong issued a
series of favourable policies further encourag503
SFA (State Forestry Administration), 1999.
ing and facilitating the development of private

commercial afforestation. There have been
540,000 private entities (including private individuals, and private, civil, and foreign enterprises) that have invested in afforestation in
Guangdong using a wide range of institutional
arrangements since 1993, and they have
contributed to rehabilitation of 1.04 million
hectares of degraded lands with fast-growing
and high-yielding plantation forests by 2003.504
The development of different types of management options involving multiple institutions
in Guangdong was accompanied by a clear
division of responsibilities, rights, and benets
of the different stakeholders through formal
contracts. For example, in the 30-year joint
afforestation projects of the Chikan and Xiangang towns of Kaiping city, the state forest
farms offer funds and technology, the village
committees provide the degraded forest land,
and the town forestry stations guarantee supervision. Rights, responsibilities, and cost- and
benet-sharing arrangements are rst decided
by negotiation among the three stakeholders
and then spelt out in a contract. Net prots
from the fast-growing high-yielding timber and
resin plantations within the 30-year contract
period would be shared by these stakeholders
in agreed proportions50 percent due to the
investing party, 40 percent due to the landowning party, and 10 percent to the management party. The investing party has
decision-making rights from project planning
to implementation, and responsibilities for
afforestation and plantation protection. The
land-owning and management parties have
consulting rights from project planning to
implementation, and responsibility for protecting the plantations from man-made or natural
disasters. The land is to be delivered back to the
village committees within half a year after the
projects expiration.
2.3.3. Three KfW-Funded Afforestation

Projects, Northern Vietnam
Three afforestation projects funded by the
German Development Bank (KfW) operated
in Bac Giang, Quang Ninh, and Lang Son

provinces in northern Vietnam. Since their start
(in 1995, 1999, and 2001, respectively), the
projects have established some 23,000 hectares
of new forest through plantation and natural
regeneration and have established 17,000
deposit accounts with a total savings of 2.5
million Euros.505 The projects have had positive
results because they effectively implemented
early on the national forest land allocation
programme such that participant farmers had
clear rights over their land. The project worked
in 80 communes (each with several villages)
and established forest farm groups and completed village land use planning in 75 of them.
In addition, funds invested into the project
were carefully directed to generate benets for
participating farmers, while strict responsibilities were agreed upon. This combination of
three essential factorsclear tenure, benets
for participating farmers, and agreements on
roles and responsibilitiesexplains the success
of this project.
3. Outline of Tools
3.1. Strengthen Local Organisation
and Participation in Projects
The literature is replete with tools to strengthen local participation and collaboration in
resource management. Key volumes include
Borrini-Feyerabend506, the Food and Agriculture Organisations (FAO) series for community forest management, and training materials
from the Regional Community Forestry Training Center for Asia and the Pacic, in Bangkok.
These include participatory tools and processes
for social communication, information gathering and assessment, local organisational development, planning, implementation, considering
local knowledge, conict management, and
monitoring and evaluation. CIFOR has developed interactive tools (Co-learn507) for collaborative learning and creating shared visions
and pathways to reach these visions. General
505
506
504
Deng Huizhen, 2003.
411
507
KfW Project in Brief, 2003.

Borrini-Feyerabend, 1997.
CIFOR, ACM Team, 2003.
412
criteria and indicators or guidelines are available for community participation and organisation, conict management, and use of local
knowledge in community managed landscapes508, plantation landscapes509 and restoration of degraded landscapes.510 Tools have also
been designed to engage local forest dwellers in
collaborative development of criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management using
their local knowledge.511 Many of these tools
are directly applicable or can be easily adapted
to strengthen participation in rehabilitation
projects.
3.2. Consider Local Socioeconomic

Needs in Choices of
Approaches
DFIDs (the UK Department for International
Development) sustainable livelihoods toolbox
provides numerous tools for using sustainable
livelihoods approaches at different stages of the
project cycle, from planning to implementation,
monitoring, and evaluation. The FAO512 has a
manual on selecting tree species based on
community needs. Ames513 describes methods
for comparing the economic value of producing
commercial forest products with other local
income earning opportunities. The ITTO
restoration guidelines514 provide numerous
suggestions on livelihood-enhancing activities,
including evaluating prospects for forest
products and environmental service payments,
evaluating different rehabilitation options and
trade-offs with other land uses, adding value to
rehabilitation products, and developing partnerships for processing and marketing.
Various tools have been outlined and
assessed for processing and commercialisation
of forest products including business planning,
the enterprise development approach, and
market analysis and development.515 The latter
508
509
510
511
512
513
514
515
Ritchie et al, 2000.

Poulsen et al, 2001.
ITTO, 2002.
Haggith et al, 1999.
FAO, 1995.
Ames, 1998.
ITTO, 2002.
Lecup et al, 1998.
combines ecological sustainability and social

and nancial objectives in small-scale, low
capital, low-skills enterprises. Networking especially between technicians working on forest
products and potential producers and markets
is also mentioned as a possible approach.
Numerous sets of indicators have been developed within CIFOR and elsewhere for assessing and evaluating socioeconomic impacts of
different projects, processes, or policy changes.
The current rehabilitation review study has a
set of such indicators specically tailored
for assessing the impacts of rehabilitation
initiatives.
3.3. Ensure Clear and Appropriate

Institutional Support and
Arrangements
The FAO516 provides a rapid appraisal tool for
tree and land tenure. Participatory mapping can
be used to develop and afrm agreements
among stakeholders about tenure boundaries.517 Other tools available to design and
assess institutional arrangements and support
include group and key informant interviews,
Venn diagrams, matrices, ow diagrams,
cost-benet analysis of different institutional
options, stakeholder analysis518, and the 4 Rs
approach, which attempts to dene stakeholders by their respective rights, responsibilities,
returns from a given resource, and relationships.519 The 4 Rs approach draws attention
to tenure issues as crucial in shaping peoples
differentiated concerns with and capacities to
manage land and trees. Relationships among
stakeholders comprise various facets: service,
legal/contractual, market, information exchange, and power. CIFOR has developed
general criteria and indicators for institutional
agreements, land tenure, and legal frameworks
to ensure sustainability of community-managed
and large-scale plantation landscapes.
516
517
518
519
FAO, 1994.
Wollenberg et al, 2002.
Grimble and Chan, 1995.
Vira et al, 1998.
4. Future Needs
Based on the results of this research project, the
following needs have emerged:
Adapting available participatory approaches
and tools for rehabilitation projects with
different management objectives, socioeconomic and ecological conditions, and stakeholder groups.
Simple technical guidelines for target groups
on how to design, implement, and monitor
rehabilitation efforts, incorporating participatory approaches and tools for different
rehabilitation objectives and site conditions.
Participatory planning process to generate
simple validated management plans for
degraded forest landscapes. Such management plans include mapping; identifying
tenure arrangements; choosing appropriate
rehabilitation and livelihood options; developing a management strategy; establishing a
monitoring framework; clearly assigning
rights, responsibilities, costs, and benets; and
formal arrangements for coordination of
activities and enforcement of agreements.
Evaluating prospects for forest products and
environmental service payments to communities. This includes the feasibility of producing high-value timber for industries; timber,
fuelwood, and other forest products for local
needs and markets; and payments for biodiversity, watershed, and carbon functions at
the local to international levels.
Framework for assessing potential contribution and impact of different rehabilitation
approaches to communities, in comparison
with other local income-earning opportunities and alternative land uses.
Market research and viable marketing
strategies adapted to the specic conditions
offered by different types of degraded forest
lands. By promoting local-level and valueadded production and processing, and developing partnerships to enhance processing
and marketing efforts prospects for improving local incomes can be improved.
Boosting policy, donor, and implementer
support for genuine local participation and
consideration of local needs in rehabilitation
413
projects. It is important to integrate rehabilitation activities with regional development

strategies and community development
activities based on local conditions and needs.
Institutional and political instruments including incentives to support different rehabilitation objectives.
References
Ames, M. 1998. Assessing the protability of forestbased enterprises. In: Wollenberg, E., and Ingles,
A., eds. Incomes from the Forest: Methods for the
Development and Conservation of Forest Products for Local Communities. CIFOR, Bogor,
Indonesia, and IUCN.
Borrini-Feyerabend, G., ed. 1997. Beyond Fences:
Seeking Social Sustainability in Conservation.
IUCN, Gland, Switzerland.
CIFOR. ACM Team. 2003. Co-Learn: collaborative
learning. CIFOR, Bogor, Indonesia. CD ROM and
manual.
Deng Huizhen. 2003. To condently development
non-public-system
forestry.
Guangdong
Forestry 2003(1):89.
FAO. 1994. Tree and land tenure: rapid appraisal
tools. Community Forestry Manual No. 4. FAO,
Rome.
FAO. 1995. Selecting tree species on the basis of community needs. Community Forestry Field Manual
No. 5. FAO, Rome.
Grimble, R., and Chan, M.K. 1995. Stakeholder analysis for natural resource management in developing countries. Natural Resources Forum 19:
113124.
Haggith, M., Prabhu, R., Purnomo, H., et al. 1999.
CIMAT: a knowledge-based system for developing
criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management. In: Cortes, U., and Sanchez-Marre, M.,
eds. Environmental Decision Support Systems and
Articial Intelligence: Papers from the AAAI
Workshop. Technical Report. No. WS-99-07
CIFOR, lndonesia. pp. 8289.
ITTO. 2002. ITTO guidelines for the restoration of
degraded forests, the management of secondary
forests degraded and rehabilitation of degraded
forest lands in tropical regions. ITTO, CIFOR,
FAO, IUCN, WWF International, Yokohama,
Japan. ITTO Policy Development Series. No.
13.
KfW Project in Brief. 2003 KfW Afforestation
Project Circular, Hanoi.
414
Lecup, I., Nicholson, K., Purwandono, H., and Karki,

S. 1998. Methods for assessing the feasibility of
sustainable non-timber forest product-based
enterprises. In: Wollenberg, E., and Ingles, A., eds.
Incomes from the Forest: Methods for the Development and Conservation of Forest Products for
Local Communities. CIFOR, Bogor, Indonesia,
and IUCN.
Ohlsson, B., Sandewall, M., Sandewall, R.K., and
Phon, N.H. 2004. Government plans and farmers
intentionsa study on forest land use planning in
Vietnam. Ambio; in press.
Poulsen, J., Applegate, G., and Raymond, D. 2001.
Linking C&I to a code of practice for industrial
tropical tree plantations. CIFOR, Bogor, Indonesia.
Ritchie, B., McDougall, C., Haggith, M., and Burford
de Oliveira, N. 2000. Criteria and indicators of sustainability in community managed forest landscapes: an introductory guide. CIFOR, Bogor,
Indonesia.
Sayer, J., Chokkalingam, U., and Poulsen, J. 2004. The

restoration of forest biodiversity and ecological
values. Forest Ecology and Management 201:311.
SFA (State Forestry Administration). 1999. Forestry
development of China. Chinese Forestry Publishing House, Beijing.
Sim, H.C., Appanah, S., and Durst, P.B., eds. 2003.
Bringing back the forests, Policies and Practices
for degraded lands and forests. Proceedings of an
international conference, 710 October 2002,
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, FAO Regional Ofce for
Asia and Pacic, Bangkok, Thailand.
Vira, B., Dubois, O., Daniels, S.E., and Walker, G.B.
1998. Institutional pluralism in forestry: considerations of analytical and operational tools.
Unasylva 49(194):3542.
Wollenberg, E., Anau, N., Iwan, R., van heist, M,
Limberg, G., and Sudana M. 2002. Building agreements among stakeholders. ITTO Tropical Forest
Update 12(2):17.
59
A Way Forward: Working Together
Toward a Vision for Restored
Forest Landscapes
Stephanie Mansourian, Mark Aldrich, and Nigel Dudley
1. Context
The primary aim of this book has been to
gather knowledge and experience from a
number of practitioners around the world in
order to assist conservationists and others in
their efforts to restore forests. Restoration has
been presented here in the context of a landscape approach, which we believe is a more
practical scale for making decisions about
returning healthy forest cover and functions to
areas where they have been lost or degraded.
We have been fortunate in persuading many
leading experts to help us in putting the book
together, and some of the key lessons or current
state of knowledge are summarised briey
below.
It has also become apparent during our
research that a large number of unknowns
remain. Another emerging purpose of the book
is therefore to highlight areas for further development and to call on the conservation community, and others, to address these needs. One
important gap that has appeared in different
chapters is the need for a comprehensive
framework. Using the information gathered
through this extensive book, we have attempted
to sketch out a framework for the restoration
of forests in landscapes. It is hoped that this
framework will serve as a guide for practitioners, although it is not meant to be a rigid template. It will need to be used, tested, and rened.
Many gaps and research needs have also
emerged through this book and the most salient
of these are highlighted and summarised

under the framework below. More specic ecological research needs can also be found in
Appendix 1.
2. Lessons Learnt
As a starting point, we consider some of the key
lessons emerging from this book:
1. A lot of experience exists on site-based
aspects of restoration; we need to harness it,
learn from it, share it, and disseminate it.
However, there is much less experience on
larger scale restoration interventions (see, for
instance, Chapters 19, 20, 27, 48, and 52)
2. Social, political, and economic elements
are fundamental to successful forest restoration, yet they are often not part of restoration
initiatives (see, for instance, Chapters 4, 6, 17
and 57).
3. The underlying causes of forest loss and
degradation are often not addressed in restoration, and contribute to the failure of restoration
attempts (see, for instance, Chapters 10 and 11).
4. Policy change can be a powerful lever for
large-scale restoration that can yield much
more signicant results than a large number of
small-scale initiatives (see Chapters 17, 48, and
50, for example).
5. There is still a tendency for a lack of communication between disciplines: economists
analyse the costs of deforestation, while
415
416
S. Mansourian et al
foresters look at the potential for restoration,

and development organisations promote sustainable agriculture (see, for instance, Chapters
10, 13, 18, and 21).
6. Restoration is a moving target with no
ultimate end state; rather, the most preferable
end state is for the landscape to be nudged into
the tracks of a natural trajectory. While reference landscapes and forests are essential to
help set a target for restoration, they are not the
only element to consider, as long-term human
interaction with forests and the evolution of
cultural landscapes, and anticipation of future
changes, such as climatic patterns, all need to be
factored in when setting goals for restoration of
forest landscapes (see Chapters 14 and 15).
7. Environmental, socioeconomic, and political circumstances evolve during the (lengthy)
duration of a restoration initiative, thus adding
complexity to the planning of a restoration initiative. Climate change is another factor adding
complexity and uncertainty to the process (see,
for instance, Chapters 4, 5 and 9).
8. To achieve a restored landscape that can
satisfy different stakeholders needs, negotiation and trade-offs will be essential (see Chapters 8 and 18).
9. Incentives for maintaining and/or restoring forests are limited by insecure ownership to
forest land or unclear access to forest products
(see Chapter 12).
10. Restoration is implemented to reverse
not only forest loss but also forest degradation.
In response, the improvement of forest quality
requires addressing forest composition,
pattern, functioning, the process of renewal,
resilience, and continuity (see Chapter 26).
11. Persistent challenges for forest landscape
restoration relate to planning at large scales, the
integration of social and ecological dimensions,
and monitoring within large areas (see, for
instance, Chapters 9, 13, 20, and 21).
12. Restoration need not always be done in
the most direct or obvious manner; for instance,
promoting alternative income generation practices may help relieve pressure on land and thus
support natural regeneration (see Chapter 19).
13. Even with pure biodiversity conservation
aims, forest protection is no longer sufcient,
and it would appear that for restoration to

make a difference, it usually needs to be
planned and implemented at the landscape
scale in the context of forest protection and
management and other interrelated elements in
the landscape (see, for instance, Chapter 7).
14. Financing restoration is a challenge. A
number of possible sources exist: the public
sector (through subsidies and incentives), the
private sector (through payments for environmental services and ethical investments), and
multilateral and aid agencies (through grants).
Through the Kyoto protocol there is potential
to nance restoration, although there remains
some uncertainty and concerns over these
carbon sink projects as critics argue that
funds and efforts should go toward reducing
fossil fuel emissions at their sources rather
than absorbing carbon (see Chapters 22, 23,
and 24).
15. Agriculture and forests often compete
for land. Restoring landscapes using agroforestry systems can help manage trade-offs
between the two (see Chapter 40).
16. For restoration purposes, it is important
to understand the role of re presence in the
landscape. In some cases re is an important
element, while in others it is wholly unnatural
(see Chapters 39 and 47).
17. Restoration after storms has often not
been well managed. As storms are predicted
to become more frequent because of climate
change, a challenge is to use the media attention they create to lobby for better policies and
improved enforcement (see Chapter 48).
18. Well-managed industrial plantations may
have a role to play in the restoration of forest
landscapes as one element in a landscape
mosaic that provides a mix of production and
environmental functions (see Chapters 54 and
56).
19. Three key lessons that have emerged
from a comprehensive study led by CIFOR of
past afforestation/reforestation efforts in six
countries show that there is need to strengthen
local organisation and participation; there is a
need to consider local socioeconomic needs in
choices of approaches and options; and there is
a need to ensure clear and appropriate institu-
59. A Way Forward
tional support and arrangements (see Chapter

58).
3. An Emerging Framework
for Forest Landscape
Restoration
As a result of compiling this book and the key
lessons identied, it appears that there is an
urgent need for a comprehensive framework
that will help managers make choices (providing options) based on state of degradation,
impact of forest loss/degradation, funding,
available human resources, political and institutional considerations, size of the area, aim of
the restoration, etc.
This section outlines such a framework for
restoring forests in landscapes and includes
under each element the identied gaps in
current knowledge, tools, and approaches.
Once rened and tested, this framework
could form a companion set of tools to existing
conservation frameworks, such as WWFs
ecoregional methodology, the Nature Conservancys 5-S approach, or the systematic conservation planning pioneered in New South
Wales. Many of the elements drawn from this
book provide the basis for such a framework,
although we are aware that much remains to be
developed over the next few years.
This framework would entail the following:
1. A systems approach, reecting the complexity of the overall system (landscape) and
the relationship between its partsboth
ecological and social. A landscape needing restoration is a dysfunctional system where the
components are unable to full all their potential roles. Therefore, taking a systems approach
allows a better understanding of the whole and
helps to ensure an integrated approach to the
restoration of functions of the different parts.
For instance, many restoration initiatives currently focus solely on reestablishing tree cover,
rather than on entire communities of plants
and animals, or fail to address issues such as
environmental services or original landscape
patterns.
417
2. An adaptive management approach: Given

the long-term nature of restoration, and the
level of uncertainty involved as well as changing conditions, it is important to ensure that
there is leeway in the system for adaptive
management. It is also important to promote
an experimental approach or a learning by
doing approach. This will be effective only
with appropriate monitoring and tracking tools
in place.
3. An integrated approach: It is important
to consider restoration not in isolation from
other conservation and development projects,
but rather as an integral part of joint efforts to
achieve a sustainable ecosystem or landscape.
This implies better integration of restoration
within current planning approaches, including,
for instance, those related to protected area
selection or forest management, but also
development-oriented projects, species conservation, freshwater projects, etc. It is also
important to approach forest protection,
management, and restoration as elements of a
holistic approach to forests.
3.1. The Elements of the Emerging

Framework for Forest
Thirteen elements are proposed for this framework, each of which is explained in further
detail below.
1. Assessment of impacts of forest loss and of
restoration
2. Addressing underlying causes of forest loss
and degradation
3. Supportive political environment
4. Negotiation and prioritisation
5. Setting multiple objectives for restoration
in the landscape
6. Empowerment and engagement
7. Multiple scales of implementation
8. Implementation through multidisciplinary
teams
9. Modelling and decision-support tools
10. Sustainable nancing
11. Measuring changes in landscape values
(monitoring and evaluation)
418
S. Mansourian et al
12. Capacity
building/dissemination
exchange
13. A focussed programme of research
and
3.1.1. Assessment of Impacts of Forest

Loss and of Restoration
Unless the impacts of forest loss and degradation are truly understood, it will be difcult to
engage the necessary stakeholders fully and to
understand the likely evolution of a long-term
restoration programme. Often the beneciaries
of restoration are not those living near the
forest but rather are downstream users of services; the distribution of costs and benets of
restoration, therefore, need to be carefully considered. Not all costs and benets can be quantied in monetary terms, however, and issues of
equity, including with future generations, also
need to be taken into account.
Outstanding needs include:
More effective ways of measuring forest
values in order to promote their restoration
(through payment systems for instance)
Ways of evaluating and describing the differential importance of forest products and
services to different people and therefore
the differential impacts of changes in forest
quality and extent (see, for instance,
Chapters 4 and 12).
3.1.2. Addressing Underlying Causes of

Forest Loss and Degradation
Failures in past restoration projects can be
traced back to inadequate consideration of the
original causes of the forest loss and degradation. Careful allocation of resources is needed
to ensure that relevant data are collected to
advance understanding of the causes of forest
loss and degradation to help frame the planning
of future restoration interventions.
More effective integration of relevant
threats analyses in restoration programmes
The gap between threats assessment, and
implementation of project activities, needs to
be more effectively breached (see Chapter
10).
3.1.3. Supportive Political Environment

All too often those implementing restoration
have not taken into account the political and
legal environment in which they operate. Yet,
policies have the power to either contribute to
the failure of restoration interventions or on
the other hand to become a major tool in
support of large-scale restoration efforts.
To convince governments and decision
makers of the necessity, importance, and
urgency of ecologically and socially sound
forest restoration (see, for instance, Chapters
7 and 14)
To encourage improvements in forest management (that reduce the need for restoration), both in theory and in practice (see, for
instance, Chapters 48, 50, and 56)
Development of an adequate and supportive
legal framework that emphasises forest
restoration (see, for instance, Chapters 52, 53,
56 and 58)
Major policy changes to improve restoration,
including removal of perverse subsidies
and introduction of positive incentives for
responsible restoration (see Chapters 11, 17,
and 45, for example)
The presence of representative, accountable,
and competent local organisations and institutions that can support integrated restoration programmes (see, for instance, Chapter
58)
Policies that encourage the development of
natural, diverse forests
Strengthening compliance with and increasing the respect for different key laws related
to restoration (see, for example, Chapters 48
and 53)
Understanding better the complex issues
of land rights and how they interact with
various factors, such as incentives and policy
environments.
3.1.4. Negotiation and Prioritisation

The move from site to landscape entails a
similar move from one stakeholder to many.
And each stakeholder is likely to have differ-
59. A Way Forward
ent needs and expectations from the landscape.

For this reason it becomes essential to negotiate restoration interventions and their outcomes as they will impact on many people.
Questions to address include:
How do those initiating a restoration project
agree with other stakeholders on priority
areas for restoration?
More specically, how do they determine
core areas, minimum viable areas, the type
of forest to be restored, etc., within the constraints of those living in the landscape?
How can stakeholders reach agreement on
trade-offs between social, economic and
ecological priorities?
Identifying how the restoration of forested
landscapes can be achieved in areas of intensive, competing land uses (see, for instance,
Chapters 40 and 45)
Processes to negotiate and manage trade-offs
between multiple interests (including specifically agriculture and forest restoration) (see
Chapters 8 and 40)
More practical experience in negotiating
trade-offs when looking at restoring forest
functions in a landscape (see Chapters 8 and
18).
3.1.5. Setting Multiple Objectives for

Restoration in the Landscape
The tendency has been to limit restoration projects to one or two objectives, yet the reality is
that in complex landscapes with different stakeholders, successful restoration will need to have
a number of objectives. In practically all circumstances it will be particularly important
to achieve both ecological and socioeconomic
goals for restoration.
Much better understanding of the likely
process of forest restoration itself, along
with more accurate methods of measuring
progress (see, for instance, Chapters 9 and
14)
Improved knowledge about how to manage
forests for multiple products and objectives
419
Guidance on the evaluation of ecological and

social aspects within the concept of high conservation value forests and on the role of
restoration techniques in addressing them.
3.1.6. Empowerment and Engagement

A necessary element of the framework will be
to ensure that the right people have a say in
decisions that will affect their future and the
land they live on. Although there is a wealth
of experience in participatory approaches to
conservation and development, most of these
are implemented on a relatively small scale
(village or community) and much still needs
to be learned about effective participation
across a whole landscape.
Tools to engage stakeholders in restoration
efforts effectively across a wider landscape
(see, for instance, Chapter 18)
A better understanding of the role of forests
in both poverty prevention and poverty
reduction (see Chapter 4).
3.1.7. Multiple Scales of

Implementation
As it appears that many factors beyond simply
the technicalities of, for example, seed propagation affect restoration, planning a restoration
effort needs to be done at large scales and at
different levels, with many different people.
Nonetheless, ultimately that large-scale plan
will need to translate into a series of site-based
efforts that contribute to the overall landscape
effort.
More experience about making the transition
from planning to execution within large-scale
restoration efforts (see, for instance, Chapter
57)
3.1.8. Implementation Through

Multidisciplinary Teams
To address social, economic, political, and institutional aspects of restoring a landscape,
420
S. Mansourian et al
restoration efforts will need to involve more

disciplines than they have to date. The establishment and systematic use of multidisciplinary teams will be critical to successful
restoration in landscapes.
Rened approaches for undertaking integrated and multidisciplinary analyses and
project implementation
Improved cooperation at local and international levels between different agencies and
nongovernmental organisations (NGOs)
(see, for instance, Chapters 13 and 58).
3.1.9. Modelling and Decision-Support

Tools
Improved modelling techniques can assist in
the formulation of a concerted and shared plan
for restoring a landscape. Whilst sophisticated
modelling approaches have been developed for
other aspects of conservation, such as protected
area selection, they remain poorly developed
for restoration decision making.
Participatory GIS-based decision-support
tools to guide choices (of restoration intervention, of species mixes, of locations, etc.)
related to restoration within landscapes (see
Chapter 16).
3.1.10. Sustainable Financing

To promote restoration, we need arguments
that can, where possible, also be described in
economic terms. This can be achieved through
better valuation of the range of goods and
services that forests provide.
The development of strategies for decreasing
operating costs and increasing incentives for
stimulating natural regeneration in applying
the restoration methods developed at the
experimental scale to the restoration of large
areas. For example, it is important to consider
the increase in the production capacity of the
restored area, compensation for opportunity
costs to landowners, payment for environmental services, and the implementation of

tax incentives (see Chapters 36 and 40)
New and innovative ways to fund forest
restoration including more alternative
options to make restoration nancially
attractive (see, for instance, Chapters 23, 24
and 31)
A better understanding of what mechanisms
need to be in place for different payment for
environmental services (PES) systems to
work; and also better understanding about
the impacts of PES schemes on poor people
and how the poor can really benet from
PES (see Chapter 23)
Information on regrouping or bundling
different ecosystem services
Analyses of nancial and environmental
costs and benets of restoration options and
their effects on forest productivity, species
recovery, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration (see Chapter 52).
3.1.11. Measuring Changes in

Landscape Values (Monitoring
and Evaluation)
A number of monitoring needs have been
repeatedly identied throughout this book.
Despite expertise in survey methods, there is
still much to be learnt about accurate ways of
monitoring of both biodiversity and, more critically, ecological integrity, but also the socioeconomic dimension of forest restoration in
landscapes that will allow proper assessment of
restoration outcomes over time. Monitoring is
also necessary to help guide the choice of the
best restoration method under different conditions. Lessons learnt from many past restoration efforts are still being gathered and these
are important to guide future interventions and
reorientate current ones.
Improvement in methodologies for monitoring and evaluating human well-being in the
context of restoration (see Chapters 20 and
21)
59. A Way Forward
A unied procedure for monitoring restoration programmes

Adequate funds to support long-term monitoring, evaluation, and adaptive management
Translating the results of both ecological
and socioeconomic indicators effectively to
inform a landscape-level restoration effort
Best practices on how to design, implement,
and learn from monitoring work that
involves multiple stakeholders.
3.1.12. Capacity Building/

Dissemination and Exchange
There already exist a number of tools,
approaches, instruments, and experiences
related to restoration and what is and is not
working. These need to be better used, shared,
and widely disseminated as a matter of urgency.
Existing organisations such as the Society for
Ecological Restoration International (SERI)
are obvious repositories for such knowledge,
although innovative vehicles such as the clearing house mechanism set up by the Convention
on Biological Diversity and the PALNET
system of the World Commission on Protected
Areas could broaden the coverage. Community
and traditional knowledge should not be
ignored; specically, this issue has been raised
in this book when it comes to re management
(see Chapter 47) or traditional medicines (see
Chapter 34) or nontimber forest products (see
Chapter 31). Recognising and learning from
community knowledge appears even more
important in the context of nations where government structures and approaches are developing and resources and support may be
limiting.
Substantially increased efforts to disseminate
the strategies, approaches, and techniques
most appropriate for forest restoration (see
Chapters 48 and 52, for example)
Awareness-raising, training, and technical
assistance, as these are preconditions to the
application of restoration in practice
Capacity building for conict management
and negotiation within conservation and
421
forestry organisations in terms of building

the ability to work across broad scales and
disciplines. Most of the tools and expertise
are known but have been applied in only a
very limited way within the eld of natural
resource management (see Chapter 18)
Adaptation to different regional contexts of
science-based management rules and tools
(GIS, modelling) and ecological and economical expertise
In addition, specic training programmes will
be necessary to disseminate current knowledge, tailored for different audiences, for
example:
Farmers: Farmers may need encouragement
and training to adopt better farming techniques that contribute to the restoration of
wider benets across the landscape (as
explained in Chapter 40).
Local forestry ofcers: Local forestry ofcers
may need to see beyond the strict forestry
objectives of replanting hectares of forests,
for instance, without addressing quality
issues and without necessarily engaging
local communities.
Plantation companies: Another identied
training need is for plantation companies
to understand and implement minimum
social and environmental management
standards for plantations (see, for instance,
Chapters 55 and 56).
Conservationists: Biologists and conservationists involved directly in restoration
projects may require training in adaptive
and participatory research methods in the
context of restoration.
3.1.13. A Focussed Programme

of Research
This book has outlined a large amount of existing knowledge on forest restoration, but it has
also raised a large number of research needs. It
is hoped that through this publication, a sharper
and more dened research programme in the
eld of forest restoration can be initiated. The
appendix highlights the most important and
urgent research priorities.
422
S. Mansourian et al
4. Working Together Toward

a Vision
In the face of growing threats to the worlds
forests, and more generally to the natural
resources that life depends on, we urgently
need to be restoring a greater area of forest
ecosystems and their functions with increased
efciency. However, as we know from the experience we do have, the process takes time, can
be costly, and there are still many unknowns.
Therefore, it is even more urgent and important to share existing knowledge related to
restoration more effectively, and to integrate
restoration more thoroughly into relevant conservation and development work. The contents
of this book, and other available resources like
it, provide us with a good start. However, as
this chapter has shown us, just disseminating
current knowledge is not enough, as there is
still much that we need to understand.
For its part, in 2001 the Forests for Life Programme of WWF added a third focal theme of
forest restoration within a landscape context
forest landscape restorationto the longerstanding commitments to protected areas and
improved management of production forests,
particularly certication.
This was done in direct response to requests
from some parts of the WWF network and
their partners (particularly in South Asia, the
Mediterranean region, East Africa, and parts of
Latin America), who felt that in addition to
work on protected areas and improved management, there was an urgent need to develop
a programme of work on forest restoration in
an effort to begin to counter the ongoing
process of forest loss and degradation in many
parts of the world.
With an increasing focus on implementing
forest conservation in landscapes, Forests for
Life is now actively working to integrate the
approaches and efforts toward achieving its
targetsprotected areas, improved forest management and restorationwithin priority landscapes that have been identied within WWF
Global 200 ecoregions.
Through the forest restoration component of
Forests for Life, WWF is working with govern-
ments, international organisations, indigenous

peoples, and other communities, as well as the
private sector on the following activities:
Developing and implementing a portfolio
of forest landscape restoration projects/programmes (see http://www.panda.org/forests/
restoration/) within priority landscapes
Assisting others, and building local capacity
to plan and implement forest restoration
interventions within the broader landscape
context
Developing suitable monitoring tools and
techniques to measure progress
Promoting the use of a forest landscape
restoration approach through both local collaboration and broader partnerships such as
the Global Partnership on Forest Landscape
Restoration
(http://www.unep-wcmc.org/
forest/restoration/globalpartnership/)
Documenting, exchanging, and disseminating
lessons learnt and experiences
Highlighting the ways in which governments
and the private sector, including plantation
companies, can make their contribution to
the restoration of forests and their full range
of functions in degraded areas
Working to eliminate/redirect economic,
nancial, and policy incentives that contribute to forest loss or degradation
Identifying, researching, and catalysing potential investments and funding mechanisms
that can support forest landscape restoration
activities, e.g., carbon knowledge projects,
and payments for environmental services.
In addition, many others including IUCN, the
U.K. Forestry Commission, CIFOR SERI, the
governments of El Salvador, Finland, Italy,
Japan, Kenya, South Africa, Switzerland, and
the United States, and restoration practitioners
worldwide are committed to forest landscape
restoration, and are making their own signicant contributions to ensuring that future
restoration efforts are planned and implemented within a landscape context and
enhance both ecological integrity and human
well-being.
In this challenging context it is crucial that we
work together, developing strategic partnerships where required in order to ensure that we
59. A Way Forward
have more healthy forests that are able to

support people and biodiversity into an uncertain future.
If we do this, and learn and adapt from the
lessons and experiences along the way, then we
can realise this vision, and we will be able to
423
look back in 20 or 30 years and agree that the

rst decades of the 21st century really did mark
the start of a global effort to successfully
restore the worlds damaged and degraded
forest areas for future generations of biodiversity and people.
Appendix 1
Selection of Identied Ecological
Research Needs Relating to
Forest Restoration
1. Long-Term Impacts of
Restoration on Forest
Ecosystems
Understanding of the long-term dynamics of
different ecosystems to help develop realistic
restoration targets
Understanding the ability of different forest
ecosystems to recover quality over time and
particularly about the likely speed of recovery and the length of time after degradation
when a forest can still recover (linked, for
instance, to survival time of buried seed
populations), all of which are critical for
determining whether natural regeneration
will sufce or more active efforts are required
Measuring the sustainability of different
restoration efforts, from ecological, social,
and economic viewpoints
Identifying the opportunities for manipulating natural succession to favour desired
outcomes
Understanding what could enhance natural
succession after land abandonment
2. Climate Change and

Adaptation
Implementation of eld projects to test and
if appropriate develop restorations role in
mitigating as well as in building resilience to
climate change
424
Creative partnerships to analyse climate

impacts and proposed restoration activities
3. Knowledge of Species
Understanding the role that individual
species and microhabitats have in the
restoration of ecosystem processes
Clarifying the potential of indigenous species
in restoration where planting is necessary,
including information on genetics, propagation techniques, the dynamics of ecological
succession, the relationships between different species, the performance of indigenous
species in plantation conditions, and the production of specic species in nurseries
Disseminating information on where to
obtain seed of indigenous species, how to
store the seeds, how to raise seedlings, and
how to establish these seedlings in the eld
4. Plantations
Developing user-friendly and locationspecic silvicultural guidelines for plantations
with indigenous species to increase their
adoption by local farmers
Gathering more information on the longterm dynamics of tree regeneration in plantations (to date, most studies have focussed
on young plantations)
Enhancing understanding of the role and
limitations of plantations in landscapes
Appendix 1
5. Linkages and Connectivity

Understanding the role of corridors and ecological stepping stones and in particular how
to make these most effective, conditions in
which they will and will not work, challenges,
problems to avoid, information about distances species will disperse over unsuitable
habitat, use of corridors by invasive or pest
species
Developing greater experience on issues
related to connectivity of forests across landscapes; for example, connectivity can be at
least obtained through the use of lines or
even isolated trees in the landscape, serving
to buffer plantation areas, changing the
shape of the plantation, etc.
6. Fires
Increasing understanding of natural re
regimes including the forest structure needed
to avoid high-intensity destructive res and
the associated management implications
Developing cost-effective re control measures with minimal biodiversity impacts
7. Invasive Species
Improving methods for the control of invasive species
Developing a comprehensive solution for
dealing with invasive alien species as part of
forest restoration
425
8. Articial and Natural

Disturbance
Drawing up codes of practice and perhaps
principles for articial disturbance
Developing and disseminating methods of
enriching degraded or regrowth forests
Developing enrichment planting guidelines
that are species- and site-specic
9. Water and Forests

Developing tools and methodologies for calculating net gains of different restoration and
management actions from the perspective of
water supply
Improving understanding of watershed-scale
processes
10. Links Between Site

Conditions and Species
Clarifying species-site relationshipsthere
is often surprisingly little knowledge of the
distribution patterns and site requirements
of most tropical tree species
Quantifying better the inuence of site conditions (precisely for each parameter) on
species development and growth and on
communities composition, and diversity,
along with a better comprehension of the
potential trajectories of the communities
(i.e., rupture thresholds, lag of time response).
Index
A
abandoned land see land
abandonment
access controls, 211
access rights, clarication, 235
adaptive management approach,
417
ADPM, 335
advocacy, 124, 139
afforestation, denition, 10
agriculture, shifting, 274
AGROCANP, 409
agroforestry, 247, 274279, 406,
407409
agriculture in stages, 410
denition, 275
future needs, 279
overcoming impediments, 296
techniques, 141
tools, 278279
Al Shouf Cedar Reserve,
Lebanon, 187
Albatera, Spain, forest
restoration, 316317
Algeria, reforestation, 317318
alley cropping, 275, 277278
Altai Sayan, Russia, 122
Alternative Association of
Producers (APA), 409
Amazon, coca in, 234
amenity, emphasis on, 104
Amur honeysuckle, 388
ancient woodland, denition, 112
Andresito, Argentina, 237, 253
animal dispersal, 357
anthropogenic disturbance
control, 251252
Appalachian region, 264
Area de Conservacin
Guanacaste (ACG), Costa
Rica, 251252
Argentina, Atlantic forest
restoration, 75, 237238, 253
articial negative selection, 286
Asian Development Bank
(ADB), 139
Australia
exclusion zones, 211
re control, 272
linkage corridors, 292
mining reclamation, 372373
monoculture plantations,
292293
Tasmania, southern forests, 205
avalanche control, 104
B
Bai Bang Pulp and Paper Mill,
Vietnam, 409
Bandipur National Park, India, 111
barrier elimination, 254
BATNA, 129
bauxite mines, forest restoration,
292, 372373
beetles, saproxylic, 186, 203
benecial use laws, 79
Bialowieza forest, Poland, 204
bilateral donors, 139, 163
biodiversity
conservation
goals, 42
payments for, 167, 169170
plantation management in, 382
in even-aged plantations see
even-aged plantations
forest loss impact, 1721
modelling tools, 104

reestablishment, 195, 247248
reservoirs, 360
survey methods, 1920
Biodiversity Conservation
Network, 163
biological targets, 116117
biological values, in plantations,
394395
biomass, incorporation in soil, 351
bird species, habitat restoration
for, 200
Bitterroot National Park, USA,
336
Borneo
forest regeneration, 137, 187,
310
log landings rehabilitation, 364
rubber, 276
Brazil
Atlantic forest
forest loss, 19
tree cover restoration, 252
commercial plantations,
380381
forest rehabilitation, 405, 406,
409410
Plantar project, 172173
restoration after mining, 292, 373
bridging substitutes, 206
British Columbia, carbon
sequestration payments,
168169
buffer strips, 246
buffer zones, 3536, 309310
Bulgaria, forest policy change,
137138
burning, prescribed, 186187, 272
427
428
Index
C
C-Plan, 119
California, giant forest
restoration, 335
campaigning, 139
Canada
carbon sequestration
payments, 168169
eastern, deciduous hardwood
restoration, 242243
Pacic Northwest forests,
205
capacity building, 127, 133, 421
carbon knowledge projects,
171175
carbon market, 172, 174, 175
carbon sequestration, 32, 382
estimation, 174
payments for, 167, 168169
carbon sinks, 171
Carrifran, 9
case studies, as policy change
stimulus, 124
CATIE, 263, 264, 266
Catskill State Park, USA, 230
cattle grazing, 254
CEAM Foundation, 154
Cebu, Philippines, 407408
CEDISA, 408
CELOS system, 362
Central America
and Kyoto protocol
modication, 123
shade-grown coffee, 276277
Central Truong Son initiative,
Vietnam, 69, 153154,
157158
Centre for International Forestry
Research (CIFOR), 405
Co-learn tools, 411
institutional agreement
indicators, 412
Review of Forest
Rehabilitation Initiatives,
405
see also rehabilitation,
sustainable
socioeconomic impact
indicators, 412
Centre for Tropical Forest
Science (CTFS), 111
change drivers, 103
Chesapeake Bay watershed,
USA, 309310
Chiapas, Mexico, 358
Chile, temperate forest

restoration, 324325
China
forest ownership policy, 86
407, 410411
Grain-for-Green programme,
80
mobile dune stabilisation,
352353
restoration benets and
incentives, 8788
restoration drivers, 91
slope stabilisation, 352
CIFOR see Centre for
International Forestry
Research
Clean Development Mechanism
(CDM), 172, 174
climate change
and invasive alien species, 349
link to CO2 emissions, 171
research needs, 424
restoration in face of, 3136
threat to biodiversity, 31
Climate, Community, and
Biodiversity (CCB)
standards, 174
closures, 254
cloud forest, 229, 303305
CO2Fix, 174
coal mines, forest restoration,
373374
cocoa, 276
codes of practice, 124
coffee, shade-grown, 276277
Colombia, biodiversity
conservation payments, 169
commercial plantations, in forest
landscape restoration,
379382
Common Agricultural Policy
(CAP), forestry-related
incentives, 80, 8283
communications
about forest landscape
restoration, 176180
messages for specic
audiences, 177
after storms, 343
effective, 133134
proactive, 179
rapid-response, 179180
tools, 139
via Web sites, 180
communities, compensating, 141

community-based cost-benet
analysis, 28
community-based re
management (CBFiM), 337
community-based forest
management (CBFM),
407408
company practices, changing, 139
conceptual modelling, 76
conict management, 126135
analytical tools, 132133
building blocks, 127
capacity building, 127, 133, 421
creative thinking, 134
effective communications,
133134
examples, 130
types of conict, 126127
see also negotiation
connectivity
in plantation biodiversity
restoration, 389
research needs, 425
strategy, 47
see also fragmentation
consensus building workshops, 62
conservation
by design, 55
landscapes see landscape(s)
Conservation Measures
Partnership (CMP), 147
conservationists, training, 422
cork oak forests, 217218
Coronado National Forest,
Arizona, USA, 210
Corrimony, Scotland, UK, 242
cost-benet analyses, 418
alluvial forests, 311312
community-based, 28
extended, 62
Costa Rica
control, 251252, 259
biodiversity conservation
payments, 169
degraded pasture restoration,
264265
forest regeneration, 210, 287
habitat linking, 54
mixed plantations, 386387
thinning in teak plantations, 387
watershed protection
payments, 168, 231
Cte dIvoire, cocoa, 276
Index
critical thresholds, for species, 17
cultural keystone species (CKS),
234
cultural values, restoring
landscape for, 233236
D
dams, 308
Dana Nature Reserve, Jordan, 209
deadwood
assessment, 205
future needs, 206207
habitats provided by, 186, 204
importance, 203
restoration, 186, 199, 203207
articial, 201202, 206
zoning, 206
decision support tools, future
needs, 57, 420
deforestation
denition, 23
see also forest loss and
degradation
degradation
causes, 257
denition, 23
removing cause of, 243
vs. restoration, 101102
see also forest loss and
degradation
Denmark, arable land
afforestation, 265
designer landscapes, 103104
development trajectories, 103
diagnostic sampling, 366
direct planting, 367
direct seeding, 244245
dispersers, management of, 254
disturbance(s)
natural, 299
patterns, inuencing, 188
research needs, 425
using, 244
diversity nuclei/islands, 252, 254
donor engagement, 177
drivers of change, 103
dry tropical forests see tropical
dry forests
Dy estuary, Wales, UK, 186,
189190
E
Earth Conservation Toolbox, 55
East Kalimantan, Indonesia,
334335
ecolabelling, 167
ecological attributes, vital, 153
ecological integrity, 5
denition, 18
ecological processes, 47
ecological reconstruction,
245246
ecological restoration, denition, 9
ecological succession see
succession
economic analysis, 104, 124
economic incentives, 124
ecoregion(s)
denition, 4
Global 200, 42, 51, 422
terrestrial, 42, 43
ecoregion conservation (ERC),
4149
determining area to restore, 48
goals, 42
restoration and, 4448
tools available, 49
ecoregional planning tools, 5455
ecosystem(s)
denition, 192
long-term impacts of
restoration on, 425
ecosystem consumption,
management, 258
ecosystem fragmentation, 35, 292
see also connectivity
ecosystem processes, 192
restoration, 192196
ecosystem service payment
schemes, 28
ecosystem values, evaluation, 359
Ecuador
payment for watershed
services scheme, 162163
water management, 229230
edge effects, 35
egalitarianism, 87
empowerment, 419
endangered local species
saving, 263
see also native species
engagement, 419
Enhanced 5-S Project
Management Process, 147
enrichment planting, 245, 260,
295296, 364, 367
environmental change, planning
for, 4748
environmental education
programmes, 255
429
environmental externalities,
persistence, 79
environmental values, in
plantations, 395
equity
intergenerational, 86
issues in community-owned
forests, 87
ERDAS, 119
erosion
control, 69, 299, 350355, 375
future needs, 355
tools, 353355
hill slope, 350
in Iceland, 193, 194
mass movement, 351352
models, 374375
wind, 351
ESRI, 119
Ethiopia, user rights for forest
restoration, 8889
ethnobotanical surveys, 236
European Union
afforestation policies, 80, 8283
forest reserves, 111
grazing in woodlands, 123
subsidies after storms, 342, 343
evaluation see monitoring
even-aged plantations, 384
biodiversity restoration in,
384390
factors inuencing natural
regeneration, 388389
planting to improve
microclimatic conditions, 388
seed dispersal agent
attraction, 388
factors altering biodiversity,
385386
evolutionary processes, 47
exclusion zones, 211
F
Fagern, Sweden, managed
forests, 186
Fair-Trade Labelling
Organisation (FLO),
certication, 220
fallow, improved, 277
farmers
market information for, 296
species preferences, 264, 390
training, 421
FARSITE model, 271, 272
430
Index
fencing, 260
nancing, 161165, 255, 404
domestic public sources, 163
international systems of
payments, 164
payment for goods and
services, 164
private for-prot sources, 164
private not-for-prot sources,
163164
sustainable, 420
Finland
boreal forest restoration,
327328
deadwood requirements, 199
prescribed burning, 186187,
327328
protected area interventions,
210
southern region restoration
policy, 204205
species transfers, 200201
re
as degradation factor, 334
historical account, 331
impacts, 332333
in the landscape, 331332
as natural disturbance, 333334
research needs, 425
restoration after, 333338
potential adverse impacts, 336
tools, 336337
as tool, 334
re-dependent specialist species,
199, 201
re management, 141, 201, 337,
396
re risk, 82
management strategies,
269270
rebreaks, 269273
widths, 270, 271
oodplain forests
characteristics, 306307
restoration, 306312
assessment, 310
bedload transport, 307308
examples of measures,
308309
forest structure, 308
hydrological connections,
307
integrated river basin
management, 310311
monitoring, 310
scales, 307
focal species, 45
focus groups, 61
fodder harvest, 223
FONAFIFO, 168
Fontainebleau Forest, 204, 210,
340341
forceeld analyses, 132
forest authenticity, 18
assessment of levels, 187, 188
Forest Biodiversity Indicators
Project, 148
forest certication, 389
NTFPs and, 220
forest dependence
degree of, 85
poverty and, 22, 26
forest dynamics plots, 111
forest res, mimicking see re
management
forest fragments, 113, 205, 301
forest landscape restoration
(FLR), 8
active vs. passive, 95
after re see re, restoration
after
background, 34
balancing needs, 6, 404
broader approach, 46
capacity, 97
challenges based on
experience to date, 9498
commercial plantations in,
379382
communications about see
communications
denition, 5, 1011
end point, 96
framework, 417422
funding see nancing
goals, 9495, 101105, 109, 419
growing recognition of need,
401402
guidelines, 12
integration with protection
and management, 402
key elements, 11
lessons learnt, 415417
planning see restoration
planning
practical interventions see
tactical interventions
as a process, 402
process of, 53
reasons for landscape scale, 6, 52

as resilience/adaptation
strategy, 3536
resources, 96
social impact, guiding
questions, 2627
suite of responses required,
402403
support needed, 404
trade-offs in see trade-offs
valuation of goods and services,
9596, 139140, 170
forest loss and degradation
addressing underlying causes,
418
impact assessment, 418
impact on biodiversity, 1721
impact on human well-being,
2229
examples, 25, 2728
forest ownership
communal, 8687
denitions, 8485
and forest restoration, 8492
future needs, 9192
tools to address issues, 9091
and goods and services rights,
86
stability, 86
forest plantations, denition, 379,
384
forest quality
assessment, 20, 187, 188
restoration, 185189
Forest Stewardship Council
(FSC), 164
certication, 220221
forestry ofcers, training, 421
Forests for Life Programme, 422
Forests of the Lower Mekong
ecoregion, Indochina, 44
founder effect, 244
fragmentation, 35, 292
see also connectivity
framework species approach,
245, 252253, 289
France
badlands restoration, 152153,
265
deadwood, 204
oodplain forest restoration,
309
forest management, 177178
Japanese knotweed invasion,
210
Index
lack of ecological monitoring,
69
restoration after storm,
341342
storm disturbance data,
340341
frontier forest
analysis, 20
denition, 112
fuel management, 271
vs. re suppression, 272
fuelwood, 223
forest restoration for, 223226
plantation eras, 224226
Fundacin Vida Silvestre
Argentina (FVSA), 75,
237
G
gap analysis, 57, 113
gap planting, 364
gene ow, 47
genetic diversity, maintenance, 36
genetic selection, 263, 265266
geographic information system
(GIS) tools, 119
in conservation/restoration
planning, 49, 325, 374
in re risk analysis, 271
in suitability modelling,
117118
in threat assessment, 7677
Ghana, collaborative forest
management, 27
Gifts to the Earth tool, 139
Glen Affric, Scotland, UK,
323324
Global 200 ecoregions, 42, 51,
422
global change issues, and
invasive alien species,
349
Global Environmental Facility
(GEF), 164
Global Invasive Species
Programme (GISP), 347
Global Partnership on Forest
Landscape Restoration,
422
global warming, 32, 287
see also climate change
goods and services
payment for, 164
valuation, 9596, 139140, 170
government incentives, 7881
government policies
changing, 138
and erosion control, 355
grazing management, 353354
green markets, facilitating access
to, 29
Greenhouse Emissions
Reduction Trading
(GERT), 169
GTZ
property legislation principles,
91
Sustainable Forest
Management Project,
334
Guanacaste National Park,
Costa Rica, 210, 259,
287
Guangdong, China, 410411
Guatemala, montane forest
restoration, 299300
Guinea, forest restoration, 5354
Gunung Kidal, Indonesia, 410
H
habitat
loss, 386
modelling, 116
provided by deadwood, 186,
204
reconnection, 46, 54
Hawaii
alien grass control, 346347
native forests, 195, 205
hedgerow intercropping, 275,
277278
hidden forest harvest, 219
high conservation value forests
(HCVF), 20, 235
high conservation values
(HCVs), 235
Hmong people, and land rights,
88
home gardens, 235
multistorey, 276
homogeneous monocultures,
restoration, 201
human well-being
denition, 11, 23
forest loss impact, 2229
examples, 25, 2728
Hungary, mine site regeneration,
259
hurricanes, 299
hydrological models, 374375
431
I
Iceland, substrate stability, 193,
194
IDRISI, 118, 119
IFOAM, certication, 220221
impact, denition, 23
India
joint forest management, 27
Nilgiri Biosphere, 111
sacred forests, 234
indigenous species see native
forests; native species
Indonesia
cloud forest conservation,
303305
enrichment planting, 364
407, 410
plantation development
incentives, 79
protection forests, 8990
pulp plantations, 380, 381
rainforest rehabilitation,
334335
Indonesian deer, 347
industrial plantations
best practice guide, 394397
era of, 225
inoculation, 264, 289, 294
institutional arrangements, for
rehabilitation projects,
407, 410411
integrated approach, 417
Integrated Conservation and
Development Projects
(ICDPs), 403
intergenerational equity, 86
International Erosion Control
Association, 355
International Institute of
Rural Reconstruction,
advice on land tenure
issues, 91, 92
International Plant Protection
Convention (1951), 347
International Tropical Timber
Organisation (ITTO)
planted forest guidelines,
381382
restoration guidelines, 90, 382,
412
invasive (alien) species (IASs),
345346
control/removal, 346349,
387388
432
Index
invasive (alien) species (IASs)

(cont.)
by planting native species,
253
methods, 187, 189, 260
research, 140, 348
tools, 347
impact, 195
introduced intentionally, 346,
347
introduced unintentionally, 346
research needs, 425
J
Jari plantations, Brazil, 380381
Jarrah forest, Australia, 372373
Jordan, forest regeneration, 209
K
Kenya
improved fallow, 277
montane forest restoration,
299
quarry restoration, 9, 123
water supply protection, 230
keystone species, 195, 198
cultural (CKS), 234
Kinabatangan River, Malaysia,
137, 187, 310
Kings Canyon National Park,
USA, 335
KMYLB, 407408
knowledge, dissemination and
exchange, 421
Kyoto protocol, 123, 168169, 172
L
La Selva Biological Station,
Costa Rica, 264265
Lafarge, quarry rehabilitation,
123124
land abandonment, 356
forest restoration after,
356360
active, 358359
passive, 358
socioeconomic tools, 359
land care, 104
land mapping, 90, 117
land ownership see forest
ownership
land tenure see tenure
land-use scenarios, 67
land value, mapping, 117
landscape(s)
multifunctional, 6, 60, 216
promotion, 95
see also forest landscape
restoration
landscape architecture, 104
landscape beauty, payment for,
167
landslides, 298299
Latvia, forestry regulations, 122
learning by doing, 105
Lebanon, forest management,
187
liberation thinning, 366
line planting, 364
livelihood(s)
analysis, 2829, 278
denition, 23
needs, in rehabilitation
projects, 406407, 409410,
412
lobbying, following storms, 340,
343
local participation, in
406, 407409, 411412
logging
biodiversity impacts, 362
monocyclic, 362
polycyclic, 362
reduced-impact (RIL), 363
see also overlogged forests
Lombok, Indonesia, 303305
LULUCF, 174
M
Madagascar
choosing priority landscape, 97
forest restoration, 7475,
107108, 288
microenterprise development
programmes, 141
plantation projects, 10
seed dispersal problems, 357
Malaysia
forest reconnection, 187, 310
native species silviculture, 293
priority species identication,
98
restoration methods research,
137
Mandena Conservation Zone,
Madagascar, 74
mangrove restoration, 3234,

4748
mapping
examples, 118119
future needs, 119
in long-term modelling, 118
of opportunities, 117118
to meet or set targets, 116117
market pressure, 139
market research, 140, 413
marketing, of forest landscape
restoration, 176177
Mediterranean region
forest degradation, 313314
forest restoration
activities, 314315
after res, 335336
examples, 315318
future needs, 319
programme evaluation, 154
tools, 318319
land tenure, 314
NTFPs in, 217218
plantation management,
357358
reference forests, 111
wildres, 314
Meket district, Ethiopia, 88
METSO, 205
Mexico
active restoration research, 358
natural forest regeneration,
358
pilot forest plan based on
NTFPs, 220
Scolel T project, 173174
shade-grown coffee, 277
microenterprise development,
141
migration, 47
mine site regeneration, 259
see also open-cast mining
reclamation
mixed species plantations, 247,
266267, 389
Model Code of Forest
Harvesting Practices, 363
Mombasa, Kenya, disused quarry
rehabilitation, 9, 123
monitoring, 150155, 420421
in adaptive management
context, 145148
common mistakes, 147
framework for, 152
Index
future needs, 155, 420421
indicator selection, 151152
as key to success, 403
long-term, 96, 118
as management tool, 103
of plantations, 397
pressures, 288
tools, 154155
vital attributes, 153
monoculture plantations, 246,
292293
monocultures, mosaics of, 246
Morocco, forest restoration, 318
Mount Kenya national park, 299
mountain gorillas, 19
Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary,
India, 111
multicriteria evaluation (MCE),
62, 115, 117118
multidisciplinary teams, 420
multifunctionality, 6, 60, 216
promotion, 95
multilateral donors, 139, 163
multipurpose tree, 275
mycorrhizae inoculation, 264,
289, 294
N
Nairobi, Kenya, water supply, 230
national level surveys, 1920
native forests
denition, 112
restoration, 186, 190191, 195
native species
endangered, saving, 263
issues related to use, 263264
planting, 253
silviculture, 293
natural communities
representation, 4445
seral stages, 45
natural regeneration stimulation,
250255, 367
control, 251252
diversity nuclei use, 252
framework species method,
252253
invasive species elimination,
253
limiting factors, 251
tools, 254
vegetation as regeneration
facilitators, 253
natural succession see succession,

natural
naturalness
assessment, 210211
components, 185186
Neem tree, 235
negotiation
alternative to, 129
cultural considerations, 130
need for, 418
phases, 132
principles, 128, 131
process, 130132
skills, 131
of trade-offs, 6162, 279
Nepal, community forestry, 27
New Caledonia
forest loss, 18
invasive species control, 347
tropical dry forests
programme, 6869, 9798,
140, 287288
New York City, water supply, 230
New York State, salvage logging
ban, 341
Nicaragua, biodiversity
conservation payments,
169
Niger, watershed restoration, 353
nontimber forest products
(NTFPs)
community-based incomegenerating systems based
on, 220
denition, 215
environmental values, 216
and forest certication, 220
impact of loss of, 26
legal frameworks for, 221
in national forestry curricula,
221
as response to poverty,
216217
restoration guidelines, 219
socioeconomic benets, 215, 216
valuing in rural development,
219
Novo Paraso, Brazil, 409410
nurseries
design, 141
seed availability in, 264
O
Oaxaca, Mexico, 358
obstructions, above-ground, 354
433
old-growth, denition, 112

open-cast mining reclamation,
910, 264, 292, 370375
conceptual framework, 371
future needs, 375
laws, 375
planning, 371
problems of mine soils, 372
tools, 374375
opportunity costs, 86, 104
Oregon, USA, H.J. Andrews
Experimental Forest,
110111
organic matter addition, 195
original forests, denitions, 112
outgrower schemes, 162
overland ow, 350
overlogged forests
denition, 361
restoration, 363367
area protection, 365
future needs, 367
logging practice
improvements, 363
planning, 365366
reasons, 363
silvicultural interventions,
366367
overseas development assistance
(ODA), 162, 163
overstorey removal, 366
ownership, forest see forest
ownership
P
PALNET system, 421
Paluarco river, Ecuador,
162163
Panama, reforestation in
catchments, 230
participatory appraisal, 132
participatory rural appraisal
(PRA), 9091, 278
PASOLAC, 27
payment for environmental
services (PES), 162,
166170, 231
valuation tools, 170
people rst era, 225226
Peru
Croton restoration, 218219
408409
pests, 346
control, 396
434
Index
Philippines, forest rehabilitation,

405, 406, 407408
Plan Vivo system, 174
plant ecology, 266
Plantar project, 172173
plantation companies, training,
396397, 421
plantation trees, as nurse plants,
259
plantations
best practice guide, 394397
commercial, in forest
landscape restoration,
379382
even-aged see even-aged
plantations
locating, 393
managing, 393397
mixed species, 247, 266267, 389
monoculture, 246, 292293
monospecic, 384
research needs, 424
rubber, 379
sustainability elements,
392393
tree species selection, 262267
future needs, 267
goals, 263
issues related to native
species use, 263264
tools, 265267
Poland, Bialowieza forest, 204
policy changes, 402, 403
policy incentives
perverse, 7881
redirection of, 81
policy interventions, 121125
tools, 124
political environment,
supportive, 418419
pollen analysis, 113
polyacrylamides (PAMs), 355
population viability analysis
(PVA), 4546
Portugal, restoration after res,
335336
poverty
avoidance/mitigation, 26
degrees of, 24
elimination, 26
and forest dependence, 22, 26
mapping and assessment, 104
NTFPs as response to, 216217
predatorprey dynamics, 47
pressures, monitoring, 288
Prestige oil spill, 178

primary woodland, denition, 112
prioritisation, 418
tools, future needs, 57
priority landscapes, 42
identication, 67
implementing conservation in,
55
problem trees, 132
process management, 128, 129
PROCYMAF project, 28
property
denition, 8485
rights, problems, 79
types, 85
protectmanagerestore
approach, 44, 5253, 55
stages, 5657
protected areas
categories, 211
restoration in, 208212
threats, 208
zoning, 211
Puerto Rico
restoration via natural
succession, 292
substrate stability, 193194
tree plantations, 259, 386
Q
quality, forest see forest quality
Quintana Roo, Mexico, pilot
forest plan, 220
Quito, Ecuador, water supply,
229
R
racks, installation of, 254
Rainforest Alliance, Smartwood
Programme, 221
range maps, 117
Rapid Ecological Assessment
methodology, 20
rapid rural appraisal (RRA),
9091, 278
rattan, 218
REACTION programme, 154, 319
reclamation see open-cast mining
reclamation
reduced-impact logging (RIL),
363
reference forests/landscapes, 55,
103, 109113, 258
tools, 112113
reforestation, denition, 10
regeneration nuclei, 251

rehabilitation
denition, 9
sustainable, 405413
future needs, 413
institutional arrangements,
407, 410411
lessons from past projects,
406407
local participation, 406,
407409, 411412
socioeconomic needs,
406407, 409410, 412
tools, 411412
relics, 366
representation, natural
community, 4445
resilience-building, and forest
restoration and
protection, 33
restoration databases, 155
restoration planning
framework, 6668
future needs, 70
goals and targets, 9495,
101105, 109, 419
multiple scales, 419
need for, 6566
tools, 6970
restoration trajectories
identication, 68
reappraisal, 68
Rhone River, 309
rills, 350
Rinjani National Park,
Indonesia, 303305
Rio Cumbaza Basin, Peru,
408409
RISEMP, 169
risk, sources of, 26
river basin management,
integrated, 310311
rubber, 276
plantations, 379
runoff control, 375
Rural Development Regulation
(RDR), 82
RUSLE model, 375
Russia, woodland certication,
122
S
Sabah, Malaysia
forest regeneration, 137, 187,
310
Index
sacred groves/forests/gardens,
234
safety net, forests as, 24
Saignon, 152
salvage logging, 342
banning, 341
SAPARD, 80, 82
Sarac-Taquera National Forest,
Brazil, 373
scattered tree plantings, 245
scenarios, 62, 102103
Scolel T project, Mexico,
173174
Scotland
commercial plantations, 380,
381
natural regeneration with
grazing, 242
pine forest restoration,
323324
SEAGA, 91
secondary forests, 246, 276
restoration potential,
321322
seed
availability, 264
collection, 141, 294
dispersal, 357, 388
seeding, direct, 244245
Sequoia National Park, USA, 335
Shaanxi Province, China, 352353
shifting agriculture, 274
Sichuan Province, China, 352
Sierra de las Minas, Guatemala,
299300
Sierra Espua, Spain,
reforestation, 315316
SilvaVoc, 12
silvopastoral systems, 169
SIMILE, 102
site-level restoration, 241248
approach determination,
241242
degrading inuence reduction,
243
future needs, 248
management considerations,
247248
reforestation for productivity
and biodiversity, 246247
tree cover initiation/
improvement, 244246
site-scale survey methods, 20
SITES/Marxan, 119
skid trails rehabilitation, 364
Slovakia, Tatra National Park,
341
Smartwood Programme, 221
social values, 394
see also cultural values;
socioeconomic needs
Society for Ecological
Restoration International
(SERI), 421
Socio-economic and Gender
Analysis (SEAGA), 91
socioeconomic needs, in
406407, 409410, 412
socioeconomic research, 140
socioeconomic targets, 117
Soil Association, Woodmark
Programme, 221
soil conditioners, 355
soil microcarbon analysis, 113
soil nutrient reduction, 195
soil protection, 351, 354
soil remediation, 372, 375
soil stabilisation, 266, 351
soil surface manipulations, 351,
354
Song Thanh Nature Reserve,
Vietnam, 75, 122, 293
SOS Sahel, 89
South Africa
outgrower schemes, 162
toxic conditions amelioration,
194
South Wales coaleld, 374
Southeast Asia, rattan
production, 218
Spain
rebreaks, 271272
natural regeneration
stimulation, 253
Prestige oil spill, 178
reforestation, 314316
spatial modelling, 325
species
knowledge of, research needs,
424
transfers of, 200201
species-based targets, 117
species-site relationships, 295,
425
Sri Lanka, silvicultural treatment
guidelines, 390
435
staff training, in plantations,

396397, 421
stakeholder(s)
external, 60
primary, 60
in scenario development, 102
secondary, 60
stakeholder analysis, 91, 132
STEEP, 132
STELLA, 102, 303
Stockholm, Sweden, water
supply, 230
storm disturbance
forest restoration after,
339343
key ideas, 340341
Stradbroke Island, Queensland,
Australia, 211
subsidies, government, 79
substrate fertility, 194
substrate stability, 193, 194195
succession, 192
direction/manipulation, 194,
195, 244, 257260
tools, 259260
dynamics of, 254255
minimal intervention design,
258259
natural
causes halting, 257
stimulation, 244
understanding, 257258
suitability modelling, 115,
117118
Sumatra, Indonesia, pulp
plantations, 381
surveys, stakeholder, 6162
sustainability analysis, 132
Sustainable Forest Market
Transformation Initiative
(SFMTI), 163
sustainable rehabilitation see
rehabilitation, sustainable
Sweden
deadwood microhabitat recreation, 186
water quality protection, 230
Switzerland, continuous cover
forestry, 53
SWOT, 132
systems approach, 417
T
tactical interventions, 136142
Tanzania, agroforestry, 243
436
Index
target species
categories, 197198
as indicators of successful
restoration, 198199
restoration for, 197202
future needs, 202
planning, 200201
stand-level restoration
methods, 201202
targets
biological, 116117
socioeconomic, 117
Tasmania, southern forests, 205
Tatra National Park, Slovakia, 341
Tebang Pilih system, 362
temperate forests
ecological attributes, 321, 322
restoration, 320325
future needs, 325
issues, 321323
tools, 325
tenure
clarication, 235
customary, 84, 85
mapping, 117
rights of, 29
security of, 86
Terai Arc, Nepal, 46, 47
Thailand
framework species
approach, 252253
land rights, 88
thinning, 260, 292, 387, 389
liberation, 366
threat(s)
direct, 7374
examples, 138
indirect, 73, 74
potential, 7374
removal of, 138
threat assessment
future needs, 77
information needed, 73
tools, 7677
threat mapping, 76
threat matrices, 76
threshold barriers, 257258
tigers, 46
timber, production objectives,
104
timber stand improvement (TSI),
366
Tonda de Tamajn woodland,
Spain, 253
toxic conditions amelioration,

194, 195
tracking tools, for landscapes, 105
trade-offs, 5962, 248
negotiation, 6162, 279
types, 6061
winwin situations, 59
training
in restoration techniques,
140141
tailored, 421422
transects, 90, 278
tree crops, 104
and forest restoration, 276277
Trombetas, Brazil, 9, 373
tropical dry forests (TDF)
attractiveness to people, 286
restoration
active, 289
Guanacaste National Park,
Costa Rica, 210, 259, 287
monitoring pressures, 288
New Caledonia, 6869,
9798, 140, 287288
passive, 288289
reasons for, 286287
soil fertility, 289
tropical moist forests
restoration, 291296
choice of method, 293294
choice of species, 294
fostering animal diversity,
295
obtaining seed, 294
production-biodiversity
trade-off, 295
raising seedlings, 294
tropical montane forests
overcoming natural succession
barriers, 300
restoration, 298301
choice of species, 300301
in face of natural
disturbance, 299
remnant forest role, 301
socioeconomic rationale,
298299
Tunisia, access to NTFPs, 220
U
Uganda, forest loss, 19
umbrella species, 198
underplanting see enrichment

planting
understorey development
encouragement, 247
United Kingdom
plantations, 54, 381
see also Scotland; Wales
United States
alien grass control, 346347
buffer zone restoration,
309310
re control, 272
giant forest restoration, 335
Hawaiian forests, 195, 205
H.J. Andrews Experimental
Forest, 110111
honeysuckle control, 388
longleaf pine ecosystems,
146147
mine spoil restoration, 264
salvage logging ban, 341
water supply protection, 230
wilderness values restoration,
210
wildres, 336
urban/forest interface, re risk,
270271
urban frontier, proximity to, 48
Utrillas coaleld, Spain, 373374
V
Valdivian ecoregion, Chile, 324
vegetation, as regeneration
facilitators, 253
VENSIM, 102
viable populations, of species,
4547
Vietnam
407, 409, 411
integrated restoration
approach, 69
land rights, 88
mangrove restoration, 34
participatory monitoring
system, 153154, 157158
pressures on remaining forests,
97
reforestation programme,
122123, 293
three-dimensional model of
threats, 7576
vision(s)
development, 102103
ne-tuning tools, 104
Index
working together toward,
422423
voice, development of, 28
vulnerability
household, 2324
to climate change, 3435
W
Wales
commercial plantations, 381
native forest restoration, 186,
190191
Walomerah protection forest,
Indonesia, 89
water
quality and quantity, 228231
research needs, 425
scarcity, 228
Water Framework Directive, 311
watershed protection, payments

for, 167, 168, 231
watershed values, 231
weed control, 396
well-being see human well-being
Western Europe, forest loss,
1819
wetland, restoration, 189190
wilderness
assessment, 210211
re-creation, 209
wildres
in Mediterranean region, 314
in United States, 336
wildwood, denition, 112
wind
erosion by, 351
resistance to, 340341
windbreaks, 301
wood harvesting methods, 354
437
woodlot era, 225

Woodmark Programme, 221
WWF
challenges based on
experience to date,
9498
and forest management in
France, 178
Forests for Life Programme,
422
lessons from experience to
date, 401404
Y
yerba mate, 253
Ynyshir bird reserve, Wales, UK,
186
Z
Zambia, improved fallow, 277

Forest Restoration in Landscapes

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Forest Restoration in Landscapes

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Forest Restoration in Landscapes

WWFs Forests for Life Programme

WWF and Restoring Forests and Their

1986 Panda symbol WWF

Printed on acid-free paper.

2005 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc.

For WWF, the global conservation organisation, achieving lasting

WWFs mission is to stop degradation on our planet and to

Note from the Editors

The editors would like to thank Mark Aldrich, James Aronson,

Ecological Research programme in Puerto Rico, funded by the

Foreword by Chief Emeka Anyaoku, President, WWF

Preface by Chris Hails, Programme Director, WWF

Note from the Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Part A Toward a Wider Perspective in Forest

Section II The Challenging Context Of Forest

Section III Forest Restoration in Modern Broad-Scale

Part B Key Preparatory Steps Toward Restoring

Section V Identifying and Addressing Challenges/

A Suite of Planning Tools

Monitoring and Evaluation

Section VIII Financing and Promoting Forest Landscape

Implementing Forest Restoration

Restoring Ecological Functions

Restoring Socioeconomic Values

Section XI A Selection of Tools that Return Trees to

Addressing Specic Aspects of Forest

Restoration of Different Forest Types

Restoring After Disturbances

Plantations in the Landscape

Lessons Learned and the Way Forward

IUCNThe World Conservation Union

Silvio Brienza, Jr.

Ani Adiwinata Nawir

Mariano Moreno de las Heras

Nguyen Thi Dao

Key Points to Retain

English pamphleteer John Evelyn wrote a tract

For an overview see Perlin, 1991.

the temperate countries gradually recovering

site-based, aiming to produce one or at most a

1.1. Taking a Broader Approach

1. Forest Landscape Restoration in Context

Figure 1.1. At the ecoregional scale, ecoregion

interact ecologically in ways that are critical

ities that could meet multiple needs and to

WWF and IUCN, 2000.

human life comfortable, such as money, peace,

1.2. What Is Special About Forest

respect to the way that the forest changes and

1. Forest Landscape Restoration in Context

issues. It also, perhaps even more importantly,

Eckholm, E. 1979. Planting for the Future: Forestry

Stanturf and Madsen, 2002

Key Points to Retain

When forests are lost or degraded, we lose far

2. Overview of Forest Restoration Strategies and Terms

2.1. Ecological Restoration

integrity in terms of species composition and

than 6 months) prior to mining. Next, the site

Lamb and Gilmour, 2003.

Reforestation is dened by the UNFCCC as

2.5. What Is WWFs Denition?

2. Overview of Forest Restoration Strategies and Terms